Just Neighbors
by madaquarius
Summary: Everyone was back in Magnolia Town to help rebuild Fairy Tail—and Laxus and Lucy agreed to become neighbors. What will become of them?
1. The Letter

**Chapter 1: The Letter**

One morning in the year X792, Laxus Dreyar received a letter from Mirajane Strauss. According to her writing, Guild Master Makarov, who had been traveling for the past year, finally returned to Magnolia Town, bringing news that his peace negotiation with the Alvarez Empire was a success.

"About time," Laxus murmured, folding the letter and stuffing it inside his pocket.

Sitting on the table with him in the Blue Pegasus guildhall were the Thunder Legion: Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen. His comrades were all giving him a curious look.

"Who's the letter from?" asked Evergreen, poking at her salad on the table with her fork.

"Mirajane," he replied casually, taking a bite at his toast.

Except for Mirajane and Laxus, no one else in Fairy Tail knew the reason why Makarov had disbanded the guild a year ago. Since the tragic death of the old Magic Council members, there had been rumors about the Alvarez Empire invading Ishgar, and the elderly mage had believed that they were going to target Fairy Tail to acquire Lumen Histoire.

In a separate meeting sometime in X791, the two S-Class mages had implored Makarov that breaking up Fairy Tail wasn't the answer. However, he had been adamant about protecting his family from getting caught in the fight with Alvarez. After some heated exchanges with him, they had eventually accepted his decision and kept everything a secret.

_"Don't worry, kiddos. I'm going to buy us all some time. I have a contact person who is going to gather all the Ten Wizard Saints to remake the Magic Council. Until then, Fairy Tail must remain disbanded."_

"So, what's in the letter?" asked Bickslow suddenly, snapping the lightning mage out of his reverie.

Laxus cleared his throat and ran his hand through his spiky blond hair. "Gramps is requesting for our return to Magnolia Town."

Freed gaped at him. "Master Makarov is back? Does this mean—?"

He nodded and then cocked his head. "Come on. We better say our goodbyes to Master Bob and the rest of Blue Pegasus. We're going home."

* * *

Arriving in Magnolia Station with their luggage, Laxus and the Thunder Legion agreed to split up to look for their own apartment. They would rendezvous in the Fairy Tail guildhall—or what was left of it—once they had settled in.

After a few hours of searching in Magnolia Town, the lightning mage found himself walking in Strawberry Street, where the buildings and shops overlook one of the town's canals.

"Hey, _blondie_, watch your step!"

Distracted, Laxus turned his head toward the direction of the canal and stared at the men who were paddling in a small boat; they were the ones who had shouted the warning. He noticed that they weren't looking at him, so he followed their gaze.

His eyebrows rose when he saw a familiar figure walking along the edge of the canal. She had considerably long blonde hair, which was tied up in a side ponytail, and she wore a blue sleeveless shirt on top of her short white skirt and high leather boots. He recognized her as Lucy Heartfilia, the celestial mage of Fairy Tail.

"I'll be fine!" the blonde girl yelled back at the paddlers, waving her hand. "Have a good day!"

Laxus could tell that she was in for a dreadful surprise when he noticed her foot hit something that was sticking out from the concrete ground. Seconds later, she flailed her arms in an attempt to steady herself, but then she lost her footing and was about to fall into the water.

He instinctively dashed toward her direction in lighting speed and caught her in the nick of time, grabbing her by the arms and yanking her in the opposite direction. He could hear the whistles and cheers of the paddlers—and her thundering heartbeat.

"Laxus?" uttered Lucy, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Hey, are you all right?" asked Laxus.

"Y-Yeah," she managed to say. Then, she heaved a relieved sigh and smiled at him. "Thanks for the timely rescue."

"Don't mention it," he told her and let go of her arms.

She quickly rummaged in her bag and then held up a folded piece of paper. "I gather you got Erza's letter?"

He did the same. "No. Mirajane's."

"I see. I'm on my way to our old site now to meet with the others. I'm anxious to know if they're rebuilding Fairy Tail. Why don't we go together?"

Laxus shook his head. "You can go ahead. I still need to look for an apartment. I just got back in Magnolia, so I haven't settled in yet." He waved his hand toward the direction of his luggage that he had left behind when he came to her rescue.

When Lucy saw a couple of abandoned suitcases from afar, she nodded. "I just got back today, too. If you're looking for an apartment, then you're in luck. I happen to know a place."

* * *

"So, is this the place?" asked Laxus, looking at a large two-story apartment building with white brick walls, several gliding windows, and a wooden balcony on the second floor.

"Sure is," replied Lucy brightly. "Pretty neat, huh?"

"It's not half bad. How come you know that the units are still up for grabs?"

"Because I live here."

Laxus raised an eyebrow. "You _live_ here," he repeated skeptically. Then, he smirked, "So, you brought me to _your_ place? Don't you think it's too early for that?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Don't get any ideas, Laxus. Come on. The landlord and his wife are still inside the building. I'll introduce you to them."

With Lucy's help, Laxus was finally able to get an apartment. It was a large one and tastefully decorated; it had a spacious main room with a sturdy set of furniture, a fireplace, a separate bedroom, a bathroom with shower and tub, and an average-size kitchen with a stove.

_It's even better than my old apartment_, he thought in amusement.

Laxus decided to unpack and settle in at a later time as he brought his luggage into the main room. Right now, he told himself that _Fairy Tail_ should come first.

When he stepped out of his apartment, Lucy was waiting for him in the hallway with her back leaned against a wall. "You like it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, thanks." He hesitated and then asked, "So, where's _your_ apartment?"

She smirked at him. "Why are you interested?"

"Who knows?" He sniffed and then winked at her. "It's next to mine, isn't it?"

"Hey, that's cheating."

So, he was neighbors with the celestial mage, which probably wasn't a bad thing. She didn't strike him as a troublemaker, and he had the impression that she was considerably independent and cared a lot about her friends in the guild.

_She's not bad-looking, either,_ he mused, studying her face.

This was going to be interesting.

All of a sudden, the blonde girl extended her hand. "Ready to see Fairy Tail again, _neighbor_?"

He grinned and took her hand in his. "Hey, that's _my_ line."


	2. Back in Fairy Tail

**Chapter 2: Back in Fairy Tail**

When Lucy Heartfilia received Erza Scarlet's letter informing her about Master Makarov's return in Magnolia Town, she had been in her apartment in Crocus, working on an article deadline for Sorcerer Magazine. After reading the requip mage's letter three times, she had quickly—and tearfully—packed up all her stuff and traveled back to Magnolia.

_Fairy Tail's not over after all!_

Now walking alongside with Laxus Dreyar, she wondered if the other members of Fairy Tail were also heading toward the same direction. She was excited and, at the same time, wretchedly nervous about seeing her old comrades again that her heart felt like exploding.

To her surprise, the lightning mage placed a somewhat reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her towering companion and saw understanding in his gray eyes.

"You know," began Laxus in his deep voice, "I was with Fairy Tail since I was a kid. There were times when some of us had to be away for several months to finish a quest."

"Yeah, like Gildarts and Mystogan," murmured Lucy.

He nodded. "Right. Anyway, whenever we'd reunite with our comrades in the guildhall, they would always make us feel like we'd never left."

"I see."

"Yeah, so stop worrying and tell your heart to be still. It's hurting my ears."

Chuckling, she touched his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "Thanks, Laxus."

"Hey, that's what _neighbors_ are for, yeah?"

* * *

When Lucy and Laxus arrived in Fairy Tail's location, they could see the unfinished structure of the guildhall and the recognizable figures of their comrades working on the construction and repairs. Everyone seemed too busy with their respective tasks to notice their arrival.

"I've had it with you, flame-brain! You're supposed to move those wood piles over here!"

"Can't you see that Happy and I are taking a break, you ice pervert?"

_Natsu. Gray._ Lucy could feel a lump forming in her throat.

For a moment, Natsu Dragneel wrinkled his nose, and then he craned his neck at Lucy's direction. "Hey, what do you know? It's _Lucy_—oomph!"

Gray Fullbuster had already thrown a punch at the fire mage's face. The pink-haired boy staggered back and almost fell to the ground, but he was able to steady himself. Growling, he lunged at the ice mage and gave him an uppercut.

"See? It's like we'd never left," said Laxus, smirking beside her.

She laughed and elbowed him on the ribs. "You're right."

"That's _enough_, you two!" came Erza's stern voice. Moments later, she had Natsu and Gray lay flat on the ground together, groaning in pain and mumbling incoherent apologies.

The requip mage finally turned around and faced the new arrivals with a relieved expression on her face. Then, she smiled warmly. "Lucy. Laxus. What in the world took you guys so long?"

* * *

At long last, the reconstruction of the Fairy Tail guildhall finally reached its completion after a few weeks. The guild members decided to throw a dinner party to celebrate Master Makarov's return and the restoration of their guild.

While everyone was celebrating in the main hall, Lucy Heartfilia and Levy McGarden were busy with the unfinished paperwork that Erza had left them. They could hear all the chattering, yelling, and laughter outside Makarov's office.

"Hey, Lu?" said Levy as she neatly arranged a bundle of papers on the desk table. "I know we volunteered to help Master Makarov with the paperwork, but shouldn't we join the others outside for now?"

"Just a couple more papers, Levy," said Lucy, grinning at her. "Why don't you go ahead without me? I'll be joining you guys in a bit."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise!"

"Thanks, Lu!" With that, the script mage walked over to the door and left the office.

Lucy didn't mind helping out with Fairy Tail's paperwork to legally reinstate the guild; she had learned that most of the Ten Wizard Saints became the new Magic Council. She was too happy that everything was back to normal again that she would do anything to keep it that way.

She could still recall the things that had happened in the past year—it certainly had been tough for her, picking up the pieces with the Fairy Tail guild gone and her comrades moving on their separate ways.

She quickly wiped away the tear that had suddenly rolled out from her eye. Then, she shook her head, smiling to herself. She shouldn't be crying anymore because she was with her family again; that was all that mattered to her right now.

_Yeah, I'm finally home!_

The creak of the door in the office made her jump slightly. She glanced up and saw a tall figure standing in the doorway.

"Oh, hey, neighbor," greeted Lucy, clearing her throat. She was about to ask him what he was doing here, but then she remembered that this was his grandfather's office.

"Neighbor," the lightning mage greeted back, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. "I heard Levy telling Gajeel that you're still here."

"Yeah, I'm just finishing up some paperwork," she told him.

"Do you need any help?" he offered.

"Nope. Thanks, anyway."

"Suit yourself."

He edged toward the corner of the room and seated himself on a nearby couch. Then, he leaned back and started fiddling with his fingers over his abdomen. Lucy noticed that he was staring intently at her, almost like he was trying to bore a hole into her head.

"You know," she said slowly, "you're kind of creepy when you look at me like _that_."

Laxus snorted. "Like what?" he asked.

"Like you're into me or something," she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

She had only meant for it to be a joke, but Laxus indignantly got up to his feet, and the next thing she knew, his face loomed over hers. Startled, she gasped and was about to back away, but he held her face with his hands.

"You know," he mimicked, his breath warming her lips, "you're _insanely_ pretty,"

Flustered, Lucy swallowed hard and held her breath as he was so close—not to mention those words that he used to describe her!

"But you're _not_ my type," he finished, smirking at her. He straightened up and then moved a few steps back.

She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.

"Yeah? Well—that's good," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Because I already have someone that _I_ like!" With that, she got up and breezed out of the office.


	3. Apology Accepted

**Chapter 3: ****Apology Accepted**

In the guildhall, Laxus Dreyar felt quite distracted as he tried to check the S-Class request board for a job; Lucy Heartfilia, his attractive and somewhat flirtatious neighbor, had been ignoring him over the last several days.

It was a pity because they used to be quite friendly toward each other ever since he had moved into the apartment next to hers; every other day, she would knock on his doorstep and share some of her splendid cooking, and sometimes he would let her borrow books that he had picked up from his trips.

The best part about being neighbors with Lucy was that she would just come and go, never sticking around long as to give him some privacy. He would also do the same to her. It was like they understood each other's needs as neighbors.

Recently, however, she stopped dropping by altogether. Whenever he was home, he could still hear her cooking, talking to Plue, scribbling something on her desk, or taking a bath... but if he didn't have his dragon slayer senses, he would probably think that no one was home.

"Found you," he muttered, taking down a piece of paper from the request board. Subduing a bunch of hardcore criminals should take his mind off her for a while.

Then, he frowned. Why was he so bothered by the sudden change in her anyway? He always liked it when neighbors just mind their own business.

Okay, so he did feel guilty that he had acted like a jerk toward her and told her something rude. If only he could take those words back.

But wasn't she the one who started it?

"_You know, you're kind of creepy when you look at me like that."_

_"Like what?"_

_"Like you're__ into me or something."_

The lightning mage didn't know why, but when she had said those words to him, he lost his cool. So he liked looking at her. Big deal. He hadn't expected that she would describe him as creepy!

_I'm not creepy... am I?_

Sighing remorsefully, Laxus decided to apologize and make it up to her as soon as he gets back from work.

_After all, that's what a good neighbor should do,_ he thought wryly. For now, he should focus on completing his new client's job request. Maybe he could buy her a new book on his way back home.

* * *

"I want to apologize."

Laxus blinked. "Ah?"

He had just returned from a successful mission and was determined to apologize to Lucy Heartfilia. He had already bought her a book that he knew would interest her... But then there she was, sitting outside her apartment door with her back leaned against the wall. She was already in her nightclothes, her blonde hair tied in a messy bun at the top of her head.

"I said I want to apologize," she repeated forlornly. Sighing, she rose to her feet and then looked up at him.

He stared at her. _Is she crazy?_

"I was rude to you when we were in your grandfather's office," she went on, "but I didn't really mean it. What I said... it was supposed to be a joke—"

"No," he argued, running a hand through his hair. "I should be the one apologizing. I acted like an idiot. So—I'm sorry."

Lucy smiled. "Are we good then, _neighbor_?" she asked tentatively.

"Yeah," he replied, grinning back at her. Somehow, he involuntarily extended his arms, a gesture that he had _never_ done before. Stunned, he mentally kicked himself. _What the hell am I doing?_

To his amazement, she coolly stepped into his arms and hugged him. He could feel her soft curves pressed against his body, which felt quite nice. He stared down at her blonde head.

"Well, that was easy," she said in a relieved voice, her face buried in his shirt.

Laxus chuckled, patting her head somewhat awkwardly. "That's my line."

Lucy was quiet for a moment, still in his arms. Then, "So, like—should we kiss, too?"

"Ah?"

The blonde girl glanced up at him, her eyes full of mirth.

_She's messing with me again. Damn her._

The lightning mage cleared his throat. "I thought you said that you already have someone you like."

She smirked and drew back from him. "What if I don't?" she challenged.

_But you do... don't you?_

"I guess I could kiss you if you want me to," he replied hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know how I'd feel about it, though, considering we're friends." _I think._

She obviously pretended to look thoughtful for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head to one side. Then, "Yeah, it wouldn't be right."

He found himself looking at her lips, which were slightly parted. "You said it."

Lucy was quiet again. Then, she stared incredulously at him, looking rather tense. "You do know I was only kidding right?"

_Of course._

"Hey, I was just playing along with you," he told her nonchalantly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Don't get all nervous."

"I certainly _am_ not."

Laughing, Laxus shook his head. "Anyway, I picked up a book in Hargeon. It's about celestial magic or something of that sort." He opened his bag and then pulled out a hardback copy.

The celestial mage gasped. "Isn't that the latest edition of _A Guide to Celestial Magic_? Spirits, that's like awfully expensive!"

"Here," he said, handing her the book. It pleased him to see her getting all excited. "You should get some rest now. It's getting late."

She smiled, taking the book from him. "Thanks so much! This really means a lot to me."

He nodded and walked over toward his apartment door. Then, he unlocked it with his key. Somehow, he wanted to linger longer in the hallway with her.

"Hey, Laxus?"

He turned to face her. Her eyes were darting everywhere, except in his direction. "Ah?"

"I'm glad we're talking again. To be honest, it sucks not being able to talk to you." Slowly, she met his gaze, her expression looking sheepish.

He smiled reassuringly at her. "That's my line, you know."

She laughed. Then, she edged toward her apartment door and pushed it open. "Good night, neighbor."

"Night."


	4. Love Rival

**Chapter 4: ****Love Rival**

The guildhall was rowdy as usual when Lucy Heartfilia arrived. While some of her comrades were eating their breakfast on the tables, others were already checking the request board for jobs. She scanned the room, looking for her team and then finding them.

She sat down on the table next to Natsu Dragneel, who had a surly expression on his face. His pink hair was messier than usual, and his clothes were torn. He looked like he had just come out from a brawl. Happy, as usual, was munching his fish next to him.

She glanced at Gray Fullbuster and Erza Scarlet, who were seated across them, eating their egg rolls calmly and looking smug about something.

_Why are they all so silent?_

"What's going on? Did I miss something?" asked Lucy, looking from Gray to Erza.

The ice mage suddenly slapped his hand on the table and guffawed, making her jump. "Man, I've been waiting for you to ask that question!" he declared happily. "Natsu lost to Laxus again."

"Huh?" _Did Natsu and Laxus fight?_

Natsu got up to his feet and leaned forward, snarling at Gray. "Are you looking for a fight, Gray?" he yelled angrily.

Gray mirrored him. "Oh, you want a piece of me, too?"

"Sit _down_, you two," commanded Erza, flashing them with a dead stare to which the two boys flinched and then quickly resumed their seats.

"Natsu challenged Laxus to a fight," Happy explained to Lucy in between bites. "He told him that if he'd win, Laxus would look for a new apartment."

She stared at the blue cat, baffled. Then, she looked at Natsu. "But why?"

"Because Laxus is Natsu's _love_ rival," whispered the feline.

"Shut up, Happy," growled Natsu, snatching his friend's fish and tossing it away.

"Hey! That's so mean!" cried Happy. He flew and chased after his fish. When he finally caught it, he flew next to Erza, scowling at the fire mage.

Gray placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand. "Say, Lucy," he said curiously, his eyebrows furrowed. "Are you really neighbors with Laxus? Flame-brain here said he came to visit you a few weeks ago and sensed that Laxus lived next door to your apartment."

_So, he did try__ to come by after all. I had wondered about that._

Lucy glanced at Natsu, amused. "Is he the reason why you're no longer _busting_ yourself into my place?" she asked him.

The pieces were starting to come together. Ever since she had moved back to Magnolia, not once did Natsu come over to her place to steal food or simply make fun of her. At first, she had thought that maybe he finally matured a bit over the past year; it had never occurred to her that the fire mage had other reasons. But why would Laxus living next door bother him?

"Hey, I'm not scared of him if that's what you're implying," said Natsu, folding his arms over his chest. "I just don't like going to your place and having to smell his scent," he added in a low voice.

She scratched her head. "But why would that bother you?"

He cocked his head and stared at her as if he was wondering if she knew anything for certain. "Why _wouldn't_ that bother me?" he countered simply. He bumped his fists together. "Next time, I'm going to win, and he'll pack up his stuff—"

"Oh, Natsu," she said exasperatedly. "You're not making any sense at all."

"Since when has flame-brain ever made sense?" snickered Gray. "So, Lucy. What's it like being neighbors with Laxus?"

She could feel everyone's eyes on her.

"Well, we... don't talk a lot," she answered truthfully, feeling flustered.

"So, like, you don't hangout or anything?" the ice mage pressed.

"No," she told him firmly. "We're just, you know, neighbors. But we mind our own business."

She didn't dare mention that she would sometimes share her cooking with the lightning mage and that he would lend her some of his books. That would surely earn her a reaction from the group.

_Okay, why do I feel the need to keep things from my team? It's not like I'm doing anything wrong. I'm just being a good neighbor... right?_

"If you three are done chit-chatting, then let's get to work," said Erza irritably, rising to her feet. "If the others snatch everything from the request board, then we won't have a job for the day."

"Yes, ma'am!" said Lucy, Natsu, and Gray.

* * *

"You should try and lose some weight, Lucy. You're getting heavier and heavier."

"How dare you! That's just mean!"

The mission to subdue a gang of thieves in another town was a success, earning Team Natsu two-hundred thousand jewels, counting out the larger amount that they had to pay for the damages, of course. However, since Lucy had sprained her ankle during the fight, Natsu had to carry her on his back until they reached her apartment.

"Happy, can you please unlock the door with my key?" she told the blue feline, handing him her apartment key.

"Sure," said Happy and did as he was told. When the door sprung open, he flew inside and started attacking her refrigerator. "What's for dinner, Lucy? I'm starving! Are there fish in here?"

Natsu stepped inside, still carrying Lucy on his back. He walked over to the couch and gently set her down there. "You know," he said, "Gray should be here so he could freeze your ankle or something."

"You don't freeze the ankle to treat a sprain, Natsu," she told him, sighing. "Don't worry. I have an ice-pack in the freezer. I'll take it from here. Thanks for carrying me back home."

The fire mage nodded. Then, he just stared at her, pushing his eyebrows together.

"What?" prompted Lucy.

"I kind of miss spending the night in your place," he blurted out. "Why don't you get a new apartment so that things will be back to normal?"

"Normal?"

"Yeah. We'd sleep together—"

"Okay, first of all," she said sternly, cutting him off, "don't _phrase_ things like that. Besides, you and Happy snore a lot that I'd rarely get the chance to sleep peacefully."

"But you snore, too—!"

"Second of all," she pressed, narrowing her eyes, "you'd steal all my food. Imagine waking up or coming home without anything to eat."

"But—!"

"_Third_," she went on, her voice rising. "You'd enter my bathroom whenever I'd take a bath! Talk about privacy, Natsu!"

"But, Lucy!" Natsu finally yelled at her, making her lean back against the couch in surprise. He sat beside her and then placed his hands on either side of her shoulders. "We're, like, best friends, right?"

"Hey," cried Happy indignantly, flying over the couch with a fish clasped in his paws. "I thought _I_ was your best friend!" Then, he zoomed toward the kitchen table and started munching at the fish.

"Of course, we are, Natsu, and we'll always be best friends," she said reassuringly, ruffling his hair with her hand. "A year couldn't possibly change our friendship."

A year ago, Natsu and Happy had gone out on their own for a training quest without talking to anyone in Fairy Tail about it, including Lucy. They had left a note in her apartment saying that they would return after a year. At first, she had been mad at him for leaving her, but then she chose to understand how hard it must have been for him to see Igneel die before his eyes and his desire to become stronger so he could protect his friends.

"But maybe this time," she went on, "you should try to be more considerate about my need for privacy, you know."

"I can't promise you that," he told her, grinning.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I figured."

All of a sudden, Natsu stiffened, and his expression darkened. He clenched his fists and then glared at the door.

"Natsu, what is it?" she asked concernedly.

He didn't answer and got up to his feet. Then, "I want a re-match," he snarled, moving toward the door.

Before he could reach for the doorknob, they heard Laxus' deep voice holler outside, "Oi. You guys pipe it down, okay? I need to get some sleep." Then, there was a loud slamming of the door.

"It's Natsu's _love _rival," cooed Happy, earning him a swat from the fire mage.


	5. Breakfast Is Ready

**Chapter 5: Breakfast Is Ready**

It was already evening when Laxus Dreyar entered the apartment building, feeling exhausted from the job request that he and the Thunder Legion had taken. When he reached the hallway to his apartment, he caught a whiff of Natsu Dragneel's scent. The fire mage was probably visiting Lucy Heartfilia, he thought. As he continued with his steps, he heard their voices.

"I kind of miss spending the night in your place. Why don't you get a new apartment so that things will be back to normal?"

"Normal?"

"Yeah. We'd sleep together—"

"Okay, first of all, don't _phrase_ things like that. Besides, you and Happy snore a lot that I'd rarely get the chance to sleep peacefully."

For some reason, something dulled his senses. So, they used to sleep together in her apartment? Was Lucy referring to Natsu when she had told him that there was someone that she liked? How interesting. The fire mage didn't strike him as someone who would be interested in women. But if the celestial mage did like Natsu, then…

_Wait. What do I care? I'm not into her or anything like that._

He could still hear their conversation; his neighbor now sounded like she was telling Natsu off. However, when he finally stopped at her doorstep, he could hear the other dragon slayer snarling as if he, Laxus, had stepped into his territory.

_We're just neighbors for crying out loud._

"Oi. You guys pipe it down, okay? I need to get some sleep," he said loudly, and then he strode over to his apartment door, opened it with his key, and then slammed it shut once he had entered the room.

_I should have eaten at the guildhall_, thought Laxus glumly as he threw himself onto the couch. He had expected Lucy to cook something delicious for him now that they were on speaking terms again; he had been looking forward to it. But now, Natsu was inside her apartment, probably staying the night. The thought made him feel angry.

Not wanting to hear any more of their conversation, he put on his magic headphones and turned up his music playlist, making sure that the volume was loud enough. Then, he stretched himself on the couch and closed his eyes. Moments later, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Laxus got up early and then took a quick shower, deciding to go to the guildhall as soon as possible. Because he hadn't eaten last night, he was starving. To make matters worse, he felt a slight discomfort on his back since he had fallen asleep on the couch.

_Talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed_, he thought as he finally stepped out of the shower.

Lucy was obviously eating breakfast next door; he could smell fried rice, ham, bacon, and eggs. He could even smell her sweet scent mixed with her shampoo and soap. How weird. She was up early today.

He sniffed again just to make sure. Yeah, no sign of Natsu inside her apartment or within the vicinity. Maybe the fire mage had left before Lucy went to bed last night.

_Again. What do I care?_

Ignoring the rumbling of his stomach, he quickly donned a black muscle shirt, a pair of green pants, and tactical boots. Then, he draped a large jacket on his shoulders. He had planned to skip any job requests for today and train somewhere in the woods.

He was about to head toward the main door when he heard Lucy's familiar knock; she would always knock three times, the third one being the loudest. When he yanked the door open, he saw her carrying a tray of food. Did she get up early today so she could fix him breakfast?

"What's this, neighbor?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

The celestial mage smiled. "I figured you didn't eat dinner last night, so I thought I'd fix you breakfast."

Trying to hide his embarrassment, he cleared his throat. "What made you think that I didn't eat dinner last night?"

She shrugged. "I guess because you sounded cranky when you arrived."

_So, she reads my moods now? Great._

"Yeah, well…" he trailed off and then motioned for her to come inside. He couldn't help but notice that she was limping slightly. "Hold on. What happened to you?"

"It's just a sprain, but I'm sure Wendy will be able to heal it in no time at the guildhall," she told him. "So, I'm just going to leave this _here_..." She placed the tray on a nearby coffee table and then straightened up. "And I'll be on my way." Then, she turned and started to head toward the door.

"Wait," he told her, trying to think fast. He didn't know exactly what he wanted from her, but for some reason he didn't want her to leave yet.

Lucy turned to face him, her expression surprised and curious at the same time. "What is it, Laxus?"

He opened and closed his mouth at first. Then, "Would you mind staying for a bit?" He could feel himself blushing. _Damn it._

She only looked at him, and then moments later, her cheeks turned slightly pink.

"I mean there's no reason for you to head over to the guildhall with a sprained foot," he explained hastily. "After I eat, I can just, you know, transport us both there."

Her eyes widened. "Really? You can do that?" she asked, looking impressed.

"Yeah."

"Oh, thank the spirits! If that's the case…" She slowly edged toward the couch and then plopped herself down. "I'm just going to lie right here and take a nap. Just wake me up when you're done eating, okay?" With that, she stretched herself on the couch and shut her eyes.

_She obviously still looks tired_, he thought, studying her face. Then, his eyes observed the clothes that she was wearing. Although she wore a simple pink tank top paired with a light blue skirt and a pair of soft boots, there was nothing simple about her curvaceous body—or her.

Laxus frowned to himself; his hunger might really be getting to him. He hastily took the tray from the coffee table and headed toward the kitchen where he could eat his breakfast in peace. Then, he would wake her up later and take her to the guildhall.

_Ah, what have I been thinking?_


	6. Natsu's Confession

**Chapter 6: ****Natsu's Confession**

When Lucy Heartfilia opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Laxus Dreyar sitting on the other side of the couch, reading a book. Then, her eyes widened in surprise as she noticed that her legs were resting on his lap. Her boots were gone, and there was a bandage wrapped around her foot.

The lightning mage seemed to sense her reaction because he glanced her way. "You're finally awake," he said in his usual deep voice.

She blinked several times, her mind still hazy. Then, "Wait a minute. Weren't you supposed to _wake_ me up?"

"I tried," he sighed, "but you're a heavy sleeper." He closed the book with a snap and then set it on the end table beside the couch.

"How long was I out?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Three hours," he replied simply.

She gasped. "Three hours?" she repeated incredulously.

She tried to get up, and Laxus immediately guided her legs to the floor with his large hands so she could sit on the couch.

"Hey—relax, or you'll hurt yourself."

"I _can't_ relax. My team will be looking for me."

"You mean _Natsu_."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Lucy stared at him. She could sense an unusual vibe coming from him, which made her feel wary. Did her best friend irk him that much? She wanted to ask him about it, but there was something in his gray eyes that told her not to.

Neither of them uttered a single word for a few moments; they just continued to stare at each other. Then, all of a sudden, she felt his mood shift again. This time, it seemed to generate a gravitational pull between them.

He started leaning forward, his eyes never leaving hers. As his face drew closer, her heart started beating furiously in her chest. She could feel the shortness of her breath and the heat rising to her ears and cheeks.

His intentions were clear. _He's going to kiss me!_

Without thinking, Lucy closed her eyes. She let out a little gasp when she sensed Laxus' warm lips brushing against the corner of her mouth. Then, she felt them travel from her cheek to her temple, every trail burning her skin wonderfully.

"May I?" he murmured in her ear, sending tingles all over her body.

She bit her lip and then swallowed hard. She was aching for him to kiss her right then and there, but he was waiting patiently for her response.

She opened her eyes and turned her face to look at him. Their lips were only inches apart now, but she willed herself to stay still.

Then, she softly replied, "What are you waiting for?"

* * *

"You should be good to go now, Miss Lucy."

Inside the almost empty guildhall, Lucy stood up and then walked on a few steps. The sprain in her ankle was gone much to her relief. She threw her arms around Wendy Marvell and hugged her. "Thanks, Wendy! My foot feels so much better now."

"You're welcome," said the younger mage.

"Great," said Natsu impatiently, bumping his fists together. "Now can we go to work? Everyone else had left. It sure took you forever to get to the guild, you know."

She pulled back from the blue-haired girl and then shot her best friend a dirty look. "Need I remind you that I had an injured foot?"

The fire mage waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. But you had _someone_ carry you here, right? So, what's your excuse for being so late?"

She flushed. _How did he know?_

Wendy looked at her and then at Natsu. "Um, excuse me. I-I need to get back to Carla," she said awkwardly. Then, she walked over to the other table where her white feline was sitting and talking to Happy.

The celestial mage turned on her heel and started to walk away as well, but then the fire mage stopped her, grabbing her by the arm.

"Hey, Luce?" prompted Natsu in a soft tone.

She paused, and then she turned around to face him. "Yeah?"

"Is there something going on between you and Laxus?" he asked openly.

_How typical of Natsu to go straight to the point._

"No, there isn't," she replied curtly. _And there never will be._

"But I could smell him all over you—!"

"Like you said, I had _someone _carry me here."

"But, Luce—"

Lucy threw up her hands exasperatedly. "Why do you even ask, Natsu? Do you have feelings for me or something?"

The fire mage scratched his head. "Well, yeah," he replied simply.

She stared at him in surprise, not believing her ears; she had expected a retort, or even a laugh, from him. "Say that again?"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned closer. "I _do_ have feelings for you, Luce," he told her seriously.

"Since when?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "Will you stop joking around? If this is some sort of prank that you and Gray are trying to pull, I'm going to—!"

"It's not a prank!" he yelled at her, earning the both of them startled glances from a few mages who remained in the guildhall.

"Okay, okay," she said quickly. Then, she dragged him upstairs to the second floor where they could talk in private. "You didn't have to yell at me, alright? Jeez."

"Luce, you have to believe me," said Natsu, clenching his fists. "I just didn't know how to tell you, you know? When I was up in the mountains for months, training, I realized how hard it was to not have you by my side."

_Is this for real? _

"At that time, I knew for sure you were mad at me," he went on, "but I needed to get stronger. Then, later, I ran into Gray and Erza, and they told me everything."

Bewildered, Lucy tried to let his words sink in. Her thoughts drifted to the times when she had been asking around for his whereabouts, confused and desperate. She had hoped that if she could just locate him, she would be able to tell him about Fairy Tail's disbandment... so he would do something about it. But she hadn't been able to find him.

_But he already knew._

"Then, why didn't you look for me, Natsu?" asked Lucy, her eyes brimming with tears. She could feel her old feelings of hurt and anger returning.

"Because I was afraid," he replied immediately.

"Afraid?" she repeated in disbelief, wiping off her tears with the back of her hand. "Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of this…" Natsu leaned over and kissed her squarely on the mouth, wrapping his arms around her before she could react.

Lucy stiffened, her eyes widening in shock. She could feel her blood rush to her face as her best friend continued to kiss her.

Right now, she was feeling vulnerable, and it took all of her self-control not to kiss him back and comfort herself in his warmth.

But the fire mage was adamant in making her submit to him. He started kissing her neck and caressing the small of her back, making her body grow hot and heavy.

Lucy gasped and was about to tell her best friend to stop when she heard a loud bang. The next thing she knew, she was being hoisted up by Natsu in the air, and then they both landed on the floor downstairs.

"Hey, what's happening?" she cried, trying to steady herself.

Natsu draped his arm around her and pulled her toward him. Then, he snarled at the tall figure standing on the second floor.

Laxus Dreyar was glaring at them from above; streaks of lightning were coming out of his body. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked coldly.


	7. Misunderstanding

**A/N: OMG! I got so busy with my writing that I didn't notice the most recent comments. Thanks, you guys! Okay, so this chapter will explain ****everything** **about the previous one** **(what really happened in the apartment, why Lucy told Natsu that nothing's going on between her and Laxus in a clipped tone, and what happened in the last part) ****— I hope** **this makes sense now. Sorry.**

**And HAPPY NEW YEAR to all! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Misunderstanding**

It started only as an experimental kiss, but then it progressed quickly to a heavy make out session. Lucy Heartfilia timidly pulled away moments later as she tried to catch her breath, her face red and eyes unfocused. Laxus Dreyar smiled to himself as he tried to steady his breathing as well, his forehead pressed against hers.

"Are you okay?" he asked cautiously, wondering if they should go all the way. He wanted to so badly, but this was his _nakama_, and now his next-door neighbor. He wouldn't want to push her into doing something that she wasn't ready for. It could get complicated otherwise.

"Never better," she replied, smiling at him encouragingly.

He smiled back and then caught her lips again with his, kissing her hungrily. He started to free the bottom of her shirt from the waistband of her skirt. Then, he slid his hands inside, feeling her skin and caressing the small of her back.

Lucy was also kissing him back fiercely, running her hands through his hair and moaning softly. However, when he shifted his hands to her front and then slowly moved them upward to cup her breasts, she stiffened. She suddenly drew back and looked at him, her face flushed.

Not sure what to do, Laxus lowered his hands to her waist. "I'm sorry. Are we going too fast?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, breathing heavily.

"Okay," he murmured, arranging her shirt back in place even though all he wanted to do was to rip them off her. "I'll slow down."

She smiled at him, placing her hand on top of his knee. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

He eyed her quizzically. "Okay? Shoot."

"What we're doing right now," she began slowly, "is something that lovers usually do. Is it… Is it fair to assume that we are?"

It took him a moment to let her words sink in. Then, "Ah? How am I supposed to answer that?"

She stared at him, her expression troubled. "You mean—we _aren't_?"

He hesitated, bracing himself. "Well… No…"

In truth, he was fond of the celestial mage—_totally_ attracted to her—but he wasn't sure that he was ready for any kind of relationship with her other than what they currently have right now. Didn't she feel the same way? She had been flirty with him and had even teased him, but he hadn't expected her to be serious with him.

_What should I do?_

Lucy looked away. "I-I need to go to the guildhall now," she said in a whisper, reaching out to her boots, which were a foot away from the couch. Then, she quickly put them on and winced. "Ugh, _stupid _sprain!"

Laxus opened and closed his mouth. He was at a loss of what to say to her. When she tried to stand up, she swayed a little. The lightning mage got up and caught her by the arm before she lost her balance.

"I'll take you to the guildhall," he said firmly as he helped her steady herself.

She laughed dryly. "I don't think so," she told him, trying to free herself from his grasp.

"Please don't make me a more terrible neighbor than I already am, Lucy. Let me take you to the guildhall." He effortlessly lifted her in his arms, surprising her, but this time she didn't resist him. With a sigh, she just placed her arms around his neck and leaned her head against him. He didn't know why but he suddenly felt guilty.

* * *

"You can put me down now, Laxus."

Laxus had transported both himself and Lucy to Fairy Tail's headquarters using his lightning magic. They were now outside the guildhall's double doors.

"Are you sure?" he asked her. "I could carry you to the infirmary."

"No, I'll be fine," she replied, smiling slightly at him. "People might get the wrong idea if they see you carrying me for just a minor injury." She winked at him.

He grunted. "I suppose." Then, he carefully set her down. "Well, then, you go on ahead," he mumbled. "I'm meeting the Thunder Legion in the woods for training."

She nodded at him and turned to face the double doors of the guildhall. Then, she pushed them to open and started walking unevenly inside.

Summoning his lightning magic again, he removed himself from the guildhall's premises and peregrinated from place to place until he finally reached the woods. There, he was greeted by the Thunder Legion, who had already started with their training without him.

"What took you so long, Laxus?" asked Freed, placing the sword he was holding into the sheath that was attached to the belt around his waist.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry. Got held up."

"So, how was it with her?" said Bickslow, snickering.

"How was it? How was it?" the seith mage's dolls chanted.

Laxus blinked, confused. "Ah?"

"Ugh, just ignore him," said Evergreen, tossing her long mane over her shoulders.

He cocked his head to the side. "Okay, spill it."

"Well, we heard from Wakaba and Macao that you're neighbors with Lucy," she explained, "and Bicks being Bicks here assumes that there's something going on between you two." Then, she crossed her arms over her chest and smiled at him.

Laxus stared at the fairy magic user for a moment; he could see her eyes gleaming with amusement behind her eyeglasses.

"But there's nothing going on between us," he uttered, raising an eyebrow. How strange. He didn't know that being neighbors with the celestial mage was a big deal.

"So, are you two, like, close now?" asked Bickslow eagerly, slapping him on the back. "Come on. Tell us the details."

_Close…?_

"It's not like that. We..." Then, he frowned as he could feel his friends' attentive eyes on him.

All of a sudden, Laxus' thoughts wandered over to the things that had transpired between him and the celestial mage. The quick visits. The small talks. The little jokes. The flirting.

Then, he could remember the feel of her soft form, her intoxicating scent, and the taste of her sweet lips, her hands roaming his shoulders and running through his hair.

Her face.

Her smile.

Her confusion.

Her feeble attempt to appear okay after he had cleared their misunderstanding...

Then, it hit him. _I'm an idiot._

"Laxus? Are you okay?" asked Evergreen, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah," he replied absently, turning on his heel. "Yeah, I got to go."

* * *

Laxus frowned as he stepped into the guildhall; there were only a few Fairy Tail guild members around, including Mirajane Strauss, who was wiping the bar counter as always, and Wendy Marvell, who was hanging out with the two furballs. He didn't see Lucy, but he could smell her scent.

He thrust his tongue in his cheek. The other dragon slayer was here, too. He focused on his senses.

_They're upstairs talking…_

"Then, why didn't you look for me, Natsu?" Lucy was saying.

"Because I was afraid," came Natsu's voice.

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of this…"

Lucy's heartbeat… and the fire mage's. _No. What the hell are they doing?_

Rage swelling up inside him, he raised his fist and summoned his lightning magic, creating a thunderclap and sending himself upstairs. Natsu seemed to have already sensed him—and his intention to attack—because he had grabbed Lucy by the waist and leaped over the balustrade; the both of them landed downstairs with a thud followed by a few gasps and murmurs from their comrades.

"Hey, what's happening?" came Lucy's voice.

Laxus walked over to the balustrade and glared down at Natsu. "What do you think you doing?"

The fire mage smirked at him. "About time. You ready for re-match?" He removed his arm around Lucy and then stepped forward. In a split second, flames started engulfing his fists. "I win, and you move the hell out of your apartment. You hear me?"

_This idiot is still placing that ridiculous wager._

Ever since the pink-haired boy learned that he was neighbors with Lucy, he had been taunting the lightning mage whenever she wasn't around. They had fought a few times outside the guildhall, and Natsu had always ended up losing to him.

In truth, fighting with the fire dragon slayer had been fun. The boy wasn't someone who would easily give up, and he was a whole lot stronger than before, so Laxus found him to be a worthy opponent. Right now, however, Laxus didn't feel the same amusement as before because the boy had made a move on Lucy.

_But she's not even mine to begin with. So, why…?_

He didn't have the time ponder further because Natsu had already pushed himself off the floor and into the air with his fire magic ready.

"_Karyu no_," came the fire mage's growl, "_Tekk—_"

"Oh, no you don't!" yelled Mirajane at the same time.

The take-over mage from the bar had leaped into the air as well and used her transformation magic to turn into Lucy, which caught the fire mage off guard.

"What_—?_"

Seeing Lucy's appearance in front of him, Natsu's flames immediately extinguished. Then, he hurled himself to the other direction to avoid colliding with the fake Lucy, and he crashed into one of the tables, breaking it into half.

On the next table, Happy cried, "Natsu!"

Laxus watched as Mirajane returned to her original form as she landed back to the floor. Then, he swallowed when she looked up and glared at him. And that was all it took for his anger to dissipate. If there was somebody that he didn't dare mess around with, it was this legendary she-devil.

"If you two want to fight with _magic_, then you take it _outside_," she snapped. Then, she smiled sweetly, and added, "Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Laxus almost forgot why he was here. He turned his attention to Lucy, who was gaping at him wordlessly. He was about to say something when Natsu was on his feet again and came barreling in front of her with a worried Happy flying over his head.

"I'm not done with you yet, Laxus," he challenged, raising his fist. "How about you come down here and we take this outside, eh?"

The lightning mage jumped over the balustrade and landed several feet away from Natsu. "Ah?" He raised his eyebrow at him. "You really think you can beat me this time?"

"S-sirs," cried Wendy, "please, you shouldn't fight anymore—!" But Carla had pulled her away from the two dragon slayers, muttering angrily. The rest of their comrades in the guildhall, however, had gathered around them, their voices full of excitement.

But Lucy finally stepped in, grabbing Natsu by the arm. "Natsu," she said, "stop it."

The fire mage glanced over his shoulder to look at her. "Not now, Luce. I'm busy."

"There's no need for you to fight him," she told him. "If he really bothers you that much, then I'll start looking for a new apartment."

"Ha? For real? What made you change your mind?" he asked in one breath.

"So that things will be _back_ to normal."

Laxus stared at the celestial mage who coolly met his gaze. It took him a moment to register what she had just said. Then, he recalled the conversation she had with Natsu that he had overheard .

_"I kind of miss spending the night in your place. Why don't you get a new apartment so that things will be back to normal?"_

_"Normal?"_

_"Yeah. We'd sleep together..."_

_So, she intends to move out just like that? _he thought in disbelief.

"Sounds good to me," said Natsu brightly. "Can we go to work now? I already picked out a job for us."

Lucy tore her brown eyes away from Laxus' and then nodded at Natsu. "Yeah… let's go."

The fire mage then turned to the other dragon slayer and grinned at him as if nothing happened. He really was simple-minded. "Later, Laxus!" With that, he draped an arm around Lucy's shoulders and then led her out of the guildhall's double doors, Happy tagging along with them.

As soon as they were gone, the rest of the Fairy Tail guild members went back to their tables, mumbling their disappointment that the fight didn't push through.

Mirajane, however, walked over beside him, smiling that sweet smile that masked her she-devil personality. "That went well," she said lightly.

Laxus grinned at her. "Yeah, I screwed up." If there was one thing that he knew about the take-over mage, it was that she could easily catch on with the happenings around the guild—and their troubles.

"What are you planning to do?"

"What else? I'm going to win her over."

* * *

**A/N: Please pardon the cheesiness and the drama. Until the next chapter!**


	8. A Quick Fix

**Chapter 8: A Quick Fix**

Thanks to Wendy Marvell, Lucy Heartfilia could now focus on the job Natsu Dragneel had picked out from the request board without worrying about her ankle anymore. According to his best friend, they needed to visit the next town and escort a carriage to make sure that thugs wouldn't steal anything from what was inside it. Easy. Sure.

However, Lucy's mind kept going back to when Laxus Dreyar had arrived in the guildhall, looking furious. He had asked Natsu directly what he was doing, most likely referring to the kiss.

_Why would he be upset about that? _she thought glumly, shaking her head.

Part of her wanted to think that the lightning mage was jealous, but then the other part of her just wanted to forget about the whole thing. In truth, she realized that she was far more attracted to Laxus than she was willing to admit. But he had made it clear that he only wanted to fool around with her.

_It's better this way. That we're just neighbors… although not for long._

She intended to keep her promise to Natsu, who was humming peacefully beside her as they headed toward Magnolia Station. After their mission, she would look for a new apartment. That way, her best friend would stop looking for a fight with the S-class mage.

_Ugh, the thought of moving all my stuff again! _She scratched her head in annoyance.

To her surprise, Natsu suddenly held her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. It felt warm and comforting—but it didn't feel right. She glanced at him and saw him grinning broadly, his eyes hopeful.

"Hey, can you two not do _that_ while I'm around?" said Happy in disgust, looking up at them.

The fire mage handed him a few paper bills. "Can you go on ahead to the train station and buy us some tickets, buddy?" he said distractedly. "I promise to treat you with lots of fish when we reach the next town."

"If you say so!" The blue cat quickly snatched the paper bills and flew away.

Then, there was silence for a few moments between the celestial and fire mage.

Natsu cleared his throat. "Hey, Luce? About earlier…?" he prompted, stopping his tracks.

Lucy stopped, too. Then, she sighed and pulled her hand away from him. She saw disappointment written all over his face, but she needed to tell him. "Natsu, please don't take this the wrong way. I do like you—"

"Great because I like you, too," he interrupted, his face suddenly becoming cheerful again.

She shook her head. "No, Natsu. I mean—I only like you as a friend. As my _best friend_."

His smile faltered. "You mean we can't be more than that?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have feelings for you," she told him softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. She hoped that her best friend would understand.

He was quiet for a moment, as if thinking. Then, he shrugged. "Okay."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Um, okay?"

"Yeah!" the fire mage said, grinning at her. "I guess it can't be helped. I'm just glad that I was able to tell you how I feel, you know?" Then, he frowned. "You still want to go on adventures with me, right?"

Lucy beamed at him, her eyes misty with tears. "Oh, Natsu! Going on adventures with my best friend is more important to me than anything else in the world!"

* * *

It was already past midnight when Lucy arrived back in her apartment. She badly needed a shower.

Earlier, she and Natsu had encountered a group of thugs who wanted to steal stuff from the carriage they were escorting, and her best friend ended up burning her clothes. She had to summon her celestial spirit, Virgo, to lend her some clothes from the spirit world.

_Why am I even surprised? _she thought wryly.

When Lucy was finished with her much-needed shower, she donned a pair of comfortable clothes and then walked over to her desk in her bedroom. She felt like writing to her late mother again, so she sat down, grabbed a pen, and started scribbling on a piece of paper.

_I wonder if Mom would've liked Laxus, _she thought. Then, she shook her head. _What am I thinking? I need to get him out of my head!_

Suddenly, a hard knock from the main door made her heart skip a beat; there was only one person who would be doing that at this hour.

_What does he want?_

Lucy took a deep breath and strode over to the main hall. When she reached the door, she turned and pulled the doorknob. Her eyebrows rose when she saw Laxus, for the first time, in his pajamas; he looked like he had just woken up from a deep slumber with his tousled hair and half-shut eyes.

She forced a smile. She was always good at that. "What's up, neighbor?" she asked in a casual tone.

"I'm hungry," was all he said as he let himself inside her apartment without waiting for her invitation. Then, he threw himself on the couch to lie down.

"Yeah, come on in," she said sarcastically and then closed the door. "Want me to fix you a sandwich?"

"That would be great," he mumbled, putting his hands behind his head and then closing his eyes.

"Okay, let me just go to the kitchen," she told him cautiously, wondering about his unusual behavior. He was usually cranky when he was hungry, but he didn't look like it at the moment.

In her kitchen, she lit the stove and placed a frying pan on it. Then, she dropped strips of bacon and salami after she had poured a little bit of oil in the center of the pan. After a few minutes, she scooped them one after the other and then placed them in a large bread that she had prepared. Finally, she added her special sauce. All done.

When she went back to the main hall, carrying a plate with the large sandwich she had prepared, she found Laxus asleep on the couch. She edged closer toward him and then placed his food on the side table.

She studied him for a moment. His face looked so serene and peaceful that it was all she could do not to put a hand on his cheek and kiss him.

"Hey, Laxus? Your sandwich is ready," she said.

The lightning mage didn't even stir.

She frowned and tried again. "Laxus, wake up."

Nothing.

Irritated, she bent over and then nudged him on the shoulder. "Hey."

_Great. Just great. I went through all the trouble of fixing him a sandwich, and he—_

Before she could even finish her thought, Laxus yanked her toward him, and she fell over his chest. With a surprised squeak, she tried to push herself from him to get up, but he wrapped his arms around her and held her in place, his incredible strength easily overpowering hers.

"Not so loud, neighbor," he murmured in her hair. "And why is your hair damp?"

"I took a shower, you dummy," she replied quickly, "now _let_ go."

"You smell so good."

Lucy felt a brush crept up her cheeks. "Y-Yeah, you smell nice, too," she told him honestly, "but could you let me go for a sec—?"

"Lucy," he said abruptly, his voice sounding authoritative.

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding hard in her chest. "What?"

He was quiet for a moment. Then, "I want us to remain neighbors."

_Oh._ _Is this why he's acting strange?_

She sighed. "Yeah, about that... I'm going to start looking for a new apartment tomorrow." Closing her eyes, she relaxed herself on top of Laxus, feeling his warm body underneath her. _This is nice._

"Because your _lover_ said so?" he asked curtly.

_Huh? Lover? Did I hear him right?_

Her eyes flew open. "I beg your pardon?" She tried to get up again so she could look at him, but Laxus held her in place.

"You know who I'm talking about."

"Are you talking about Natsu? Natsu is my best friend!"

"He seemed to be more than that to you. You two _kissed_."

"Laxus, _he_ kissed me. I didn't kiss him." She was starting to lose her patience. "Besides, what's it to _you_?"

When the lightning mage didn't answer, she sighed again, but this time it was out of frustration. He didn't seem to have any plans letting her go. Was he planning to hold her like this until sunrise or what?

"What do you want from me?" she finally asked exasperatedly.

"I want you," replied Laxus simply. With that, he rolled over so that she was underneath him. Then, he cupped her face with his hand and gazed into her eyes. "I just want you."

So, he just wanted her for the night? That was it? Lucy could feel her anger rising, but she tried to contain herself.

_Fine_. She had wanted her first time with him to be special, but the way he was making her feel right now made her think otherwise.

"The bedroom's _that_ way," she told him, pointing toward the door behind him. "Let's get this over with."


	9. Heart Out in the Open

**Chapter 9: Heart Out in the Open**

"The bedroom's that way. Let's get this over with."

Laxus Dreyar blinked a few times as Lucy Heartfilia's words hung in the hair like smoke. It was a bold and straightforward proposition. Most men would have loved to hear it coming from a beautiful woman who didn't want any strings attached.

"Let's get this over with?" he repeated, raising his eyebrow.

She shrugged her shoulders, her face impassive. "Yeah. Let's just do it and then be done with it, you know?"

He stared at her. Moments later, he pushed himself off her and sat on the couch. Then, he took her hands in his and pulled her into a sitting position so that they would face each other.

"What's the matter?" asked Lucy derisively. "Don't tell me you want to take things slow."

Laxus shook his head. "If I was going to bed you, I'd want you to be in the mood for it at least," he told her, scratching his head. He paused for a moment. "Listen," he began. "I was a jerk."

"I already knew that."

"Hey!" he growled in protest, and then he sighed. "_Fine_. So, what I was going to say is that I'd like to apologize for the way that I had treated you. At that time, when we were—you know—enjoying each other's _closeness_, I wasn't sure what I was feeling except that I was attracted to you." He could feel the heat rising to his face.

Lucy was also blushing. "What?" was all she was able to utter.

He cleared his throat. "Right. So, when you asked if it was fair to assume that we're... that we're..." he trailed off, feeling embarrassed.

She opened and closed her mouth. Then, "You don't have to apologize, really," she told him, looking away. "I shouldn't have blurted out my expectations when we both just got carried away—"

"Carried away?" he interrupted, frowning. He didn't like the sound of that.

She looked back at him evenly. "Weren't we?"

"I don't know. But I refuse to simplify what happened in such a way." He figured that he had always wanted to kiss her because, well, she was hot. But he couldn't admit to her that what had finally dared him to do so at first was the probability of Natsu being the guy that she liked. It had struck him that he didn't like the idea of her fancying anyone.

What had further irked him at that time was that Natsu had asked her to find a new apartment. It also didn't help that she was the reason that the fire mage had kept on challenging him into a fight for weeks.

Laxus took a deep breath and decided to give his thoughts free rein. "All I know is that I want you, and I don't want _anyone_ _else_ to have you."

Lucy's eyes widened, apparently shocked at what she had just heard him declare. "You what?" she whispered.

Laxus swallowed hard, finally realizing his own feelings. It was true—imagining someone else kissing her, touching her, and pleasuring her made his innards burn in anger. It didn't help that he could still remember seeing Natsu kissing her back in the guildhall. It made him want to wreck something into smithereens.

_Now that my heart's out in the open, what's she going to say?_

For the first time, he felt afraid. The woman whom he was starting to have feelings with was still sitting there without saying a word.

To his immense relief, she finally opened her mouth. "Laxus… I…" she started to say, her voice tight in her throat. "I'd like to think this through first. Is that okay?"

He licked his lips nervously and then nodded. "Yeah, okay." Of course, it wasn't what he had expected to hear from her. He thought that after he confessed to her, she would gladly accept him. But he was wrong.

She smiled at him slightly. "Thanks."

She wasn't going to make it easy for him, was she? Unable to stop himself, he leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her lips, making her gasp in surprise. Then, he got up, strode over to the side table, and snatched away the sandwich that the celestial mage had placed there earlier.

Turning to her, Laxus grinned. "Now I'm _really_ hungry. Thanks for the sandwich, neighbor."

There it was—her usual sweet laughter. It was all he could do not to snatch her away, too.

* * *

The next morning was like any other morning in Magnolia. The weather was sunny—with a chance of Laxus.

"_Karyu no Koen!"_

"_Rairyu no Hoken!"_

Laxus' lightning magic collided with Natsu's fire magic, and it created a vast explosion outside the guildhall. They were at it again, but this time, the fire mage had declared that it was purely a battle of strength. Everyone who was currently present at the headquarters was outside as well, yelling and cheering at them.

The pink-haired boy grinned at Laxus as he panted heavily. Then, he bumped his fists together. "I'm going to _beat_ you this time, Laxus."

The lightning mage snorted. "With that kind of attack, you're _never_ going to."

"Oh, yeah? We'll _see_ about that!" The fire mage lunged at him with his hand lit ablaze, yelling, _"Karyu no Saiga!"_

Laxus was having none of it. _"Rairyu no Hoko!" _He released a massive amount of lightning blast in his mouth, which earned him a hoot from the Fairy Tail spectators.

Natsu was able to dodge his attack as he ignited his feet with flames, sending himself to a different direction. "Whew! That was close!"

"Nice one, Natsu!" came Gajeel Redfox's and Levy McGarden's cheer. The iron dragon slayer and script mage were apparently rooting for the pink-haired boy.

Laxus ripped what was left of his torn shirt and then threw it aside. The fire mage did the same. Both their muscular bodies were now spewing with lightning and fire.

"Alright! They're about to get serious now!" shouted Cana Alberona, setting down the large barrel of beer that she was carrying. Then, she held up her hand. "Who's betting?"

"I'm betting on Laxus!" declared Freed, placing a few bills on the Cana's palm along with Bickslow and Evergreen.

Gray Fullbuster did the same. "Me, too!"

Natsu glared at the ice mage. "What the hell, Gray?" he yelled indignantly. Then, he turned his attention back to his opponent. "Come on, Laxus, come at me!"

Grinning, Laxus abruptly launched an attack at the other dragon slayer, turning himself into a bolt of lightning so he could freely move around at high speed. Then, without warning, his fist collided with Natsu's jaw, catching his opponent by surprise. The fire mage careened backwards unsteadily until he hit a tree trunk.

"That was a lucky hit!" said Natsu, snickering as he rubbed his sore jaw.

"Ha! You know it wasn't."

Suddenly, the lighting mage stiffened as he caught a whiff of Lucy's scent; she was about to arrive in the guildhall. Natsu seemed to sense her approaching, too, because his face brightened. How long had they been fighting now? Laxus couldn't tell as he had been enjoying himself too much.

This was going to be the first time that the celestial mage would probably see them fighting since Fairy Tail's reinstatement. He wondered how she would react; both dragon slayers had only been exchanging blows whenever she wasn't around.

More importantly, who was she betting on to win?


	10. Place Your Bets

**Chapter 10: Place Your Bets**

After donning a pair of casual clothes, Lucy Heartfilia gave herself a long look in the mirror. There were dark circles under her eyes due to the apparent lack of sleep.

Seriously, how could she even sleep peacefully knowing that on the other side of the wall was one lightning mage who had just confessed his feelings to her?

In truth, she harbored feelings for him, too, but she couldn't bring herself to get carried away again. Not when there was now a possibility that she might hurt her friendship with Natsu. Natsu Dragneel, her best friend who had brought her to Fairy Tail, the sole person who believed in her—she didn't want to risk losing him.

Groaning at herself and the situation she was in, she debated whether or not she should go back to bed and take a day off. But then she remembered that today was one of those days when Natsu, Gray, and Erza would want to do a job together. She could probably brush off the two boys, but the requip mage was a different story; she would not have any of her nonsense.

"Pun, pun!" said Plue, climbing up the chair and then jumping into Lucy's arms. She had summoned him earlier when she was taking a bath so that he could keep her company.

"What do you think, Plue?" she asked her celestial spirit. "Should I go to the guildhall or sit this one out?"

"Pun, pun!"

She sighed, her thoughts lingering around Laxus. She would probably end up breaking up with him anyway should their relationship cause a rift between her and Natsu. She and the fire mage had already been through so much together, so his friendship meant more to her than anything.

But what if she talked to her best friend first about her feelings for Laxus? Maybe he would understand because he had always been considerate about her happiness in the past—well, except perhaps during those times when he would barge into her apartment and draw on her face whenever she was asleep.

Could she be just overthinking things here? Maybe being with Laxus and staying friends with Natsu wouldn't turn out to be as complicated as she thought it would be.

_Yeah, fat chance_, she mused as she set Plue down on the floor and checked herself in the mirror one last time. Then, she took a deep breath.

She needed talk to Natsu.

"Okay... Wish me luck, Plue."

* * *

As Lucy made her way into the streets of Magnolia, she thought about how she would approach Natsu in terms of her feelings for Laxus—and what she would do if he disapproved. Could she really look at the lightning mage in the eye and turn him down despite her feelings for him?

The familiar landmarks along the road told her that she was already close to the Fairy Tail headquarters. Moments later, she saw brief flashes of lightning and clouds of smoke up ahead. She could also hear faint yells and cheers.

_Lightning and smoke_, she thought warily._ No way! Could it be…?_

Her heart pounding, she ran as fast as she could until she got a clear view of what was going on. She saw her comrades outside the guildhall, rooting at the two alpha mages throwing punches and elemental magic at each other.

"Look, there's Lucy!" said Wakaba.

"Hey, Lucy! Get over here and place your bet!" yelled Macao, waving his hand at her.

Lucy walked nervously toward them, her eyes fixed on Laxus and Natsu, who were still exchanging blows at each other. The pair seemed to look spent as if they had been fighting for quite some time. Bewildered, she looked around for Master Makarov—and there he was, drinking with Cana and yelling with the rest of the Fairy Tail guild members.

A shirtless Gray Fullbuster suddenly draped an arm around her shoulders. "So, Luce, who are you placing your bet on?" he asked eagerly.

"Ugh, put some shirt on, you pervert!" cried Lucy, shrugging his arm off. Then, she glared at him. "I'm _not_ placing a bet on anyone."

But the ice mage continued to pester her. "Aren't you going to bet on Natsu? He _is_ your best friend after all," he said slyly, his eyes glittering.

The celestial mage couldn't help but notice that those who had heard Gray had turned their attention to her. _Why are they looking at me like that? _

Feeling self-conscious, she looked away from them and focused on the two dragon slayers. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of Laxus looking at her, but then he tore his eyes away when Natsu came charging toward him with his fist ablaze with flames.

She felt her breath caught in her chest when she saw her best friend punched the lightning mage squarely on the jaw, causing him to stagger back. It didn't take him long to recover, however, and he swung at the pink-haired mage with a lightning kick; it hit Natsu in the stomach, causing him to lower down his defense altogether. In a flash, Laxus delivered a final uppercut to his opponent, sending him into the air. Moments later, Natsu finally dropped to the ground and lay motionless there. He was knocked out cold.

"Looks like Laxus still won," said Erza briskly, coming up beside Lucy. "But Natsu's strength has greatly improved. It's the first time that he'd lasted this long against Laxus."

"Come to think of it, sleepy head, flame-brain's fight with Laxus would usually end before you even arrive at the guildhall," told Gray, winking at the celestial mage.

Then, he clapped his hands and bellowed, "Okay! Time to collect our winnings! Oi, Gajeel, you pay up!" With that, he chased after the iron dragon slayer, who tried sneaking away.

Lucy watched as Laxus strode over to the unconscious Natsu and then hoisted him up. Then, he flung him over his shoulder and walked toward the direction of the guildhall.

"If you had placed your bet on Natsu, then you should pay up," he growled as he walked past her. Later, she heard him mumble something to Mirajane to which the girl responded, "Everything's in the infirmary."

"Hey, Lucy."

Lucy glanced down and saw Happy waving his paw at her. "Happy!"

"I lost the bet to Carla and Lily," he whined. "Now, I'm supposed to be their slave for a week!"

"Oh, Happy," she said, picking up the blue feline and cradling the poor thing in her arms.

"But you're here. So, who did you place your bet on?" he asked curiously.

"I-I didn't place a bet on anyone," she told him, flustered. "When I got here, the fight was almost over."

"Oh, okay," sighed Happy.

"But who were you rooting for?" came a girlish voice. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Mirajane smiling sweetly at her.

Lucy forced herself to smile back at the take-over mage. "Come on, Mira. You know I don't enjoy seeing my… my _comrades_ get into a fight. Anyway, I should probably visit Natsu in the infirmary."

Mirajane just nodded at her. And with that, the celestial mage made her way toward the double doors of the guildhall, carrying Happy with her.

_I hope Natsu is alright. With any luck, he won't be in such a sour mood._


	11. The She-Devil

**Chapter 11: The She-Devil**

Just like the celestial mage, the sky dragon slayer was one of those latecomers. Laxus Dreyar thought that since their guild's young healer had not yet arrived, then Natsu Dragneel would be better off sleeping in the infirmary for now.

Natsu looked pretty beaten up, but Laxus realized that he was, too. After setting the boy down on one of the infirmary beds, the lightning mage rummaged in the cabinets for some painkillers. When he finally found what he was looking for, he chucked them into his mouth and then swallowed them.

Somehow, the effects of the bane particles that he had inhaled a year ago had lowered his body's pain tolerance. It was only Mirajane Strauss who knew about it, so she would always reserve the strongest painkillers in the infirmary for him.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Laxus turned and saw Lucy Heartfilia standing in the doorway, her long blonde hair tied up in a loose ponytail. She sported a red shirt with a Heart Kreuz logo on the left side of her breast paired with a short black skirt. Instead of her usual soft boots, she wore a pair of red doll shoes that went with her over the knee socks. Although her face looked like she could use a decent amount of sleep, he still found her breathtakingly beautiful.

The celestial mage wasn't alone, though; she was carrying Happy in her arms. As soon as the feline saw Natsu on the infirmary bed, he jumped out from her arms, drew out his wings, and then flew toward the fire mage's bedside.

He nodded at her in response and then gave her a wink. "Yeah," he told her. He paused for a moment. Then, "Did you sleep well last night?" he asked.

"Like a baby," she said airily, stepping into the room. She glanced over the snoring Natsu on the bed, her face full of concern.

He raised an eyebrow. "You worried about him?"

She shook her head. "I'm sure he's fine. He's Natsu… but I had wanted to talk to him about… well…" she trailed off, nervously looking at the blue cat.

Happy seemed to sense her tension because he looked at her and then at Laxus. There was a furtive look in his expression that the lightning mage didn't like. It sure seemed to be making the celestial mage uncomfortable.

"Hey, cat," growled Laxus abruptly. "Why don't you wait for Wendy in the main hall and then bring her here as soon as she arrives?"

"Aye," said Happy. Instead of flying, he jumped off Natsu's bed and then strutted _slowly_ toward the door, his eyes wandering back and forth between Lucy and Laxus.

When the smug feline was finally at the doorway, he had the gall to turn around and grin knowingly at them. Laxus strode over to his direction and then slammed the door shut in his face.

When he heard Lucy let out a relieved sigh, he glanced at her, realizing that she had been holding her breath. He studied her for a moment and then walked over toward her until they were inches apart.

"You're tense," he murmured.

"Yeah… I…" Then she stared up at him, her expression wary.

Wordlessly, he lifted her chin with his finger and then bent over, noting the startled look in her face with satisfaction. Their lips touched, and he saw her close her eyes almost immediately as she opened her mouth to savor his kiss.

But then she pulled away just as quickly and took a few steps back.

"What's the matter?" asked Laxus.

Lucy bit her lip for a moment, her face red, and then she replied, "You can't just go around kissing people like that."

He snorted. "It's only you that I want to kiss," he told her. "Besides, don't you agree that we both want it?"

"I… don't deny it," she sighed, looking down at her feet. "But I still need to talk to Natsu about… you know… us."

He just nodded at her. In truth, he didn't know why she needed to talk to the fire mage about their relationship in the first place. That was none of the boy's business since he wasn't involved with her; Lucy could do whatever the hell she wants.

Yet, if talking to the other dragon slayer was important to her, then Laxus should just let her have it. Maybe she was afraid that being with him would cause a problem with her friendship with Natsu, which, in Laxus' opinion, was absurd. Natsu Dragneel would never turn his back on a comrade.

"I'll take my leave then," he said, heading toward the door. "I'll see you later."

* * *

When Laxus stepped out of the infirmary room, the Thunder Legion was there waiting for him outside. Freed handed him over some clothes and a towel, although he wasn't quite sure where the letter magic user got them exactly. He just nodded his thanks and made his way into the guildhall's shower room.

After taking a shower and slipping into a pair of clean clothes, he headed toward the main hall where everyone was having their lunch, including the Thunder Legion. Instead of approaching his most loyal companions, he seated himself on one of the bar stools and hollered at Mirajane. Somehow, he needed to talk to someone.

"You want a drink?" prompted Mirajane, winking at him.

"Yeah, just the usual," replied Laxus, drumming his fingers on the bar counter. "You know, I'm having trouble understanding why people here have been gawking and whispering nonsense behind my back."

To make a point, he turned his head and glared at some of his guildmates sitting on the tables, who quickly looked away after getting caught staring.

The take-over mage chuckled, placing a large mug in front of him. "Ah, maybe you're just popular, Laxus."

"No," he argued as he watched her pour the mug with ale. "Everyone started acting weird when they learned that I was neighbors with blondie. I mean, what's the big deal?"

Mirajane sighed heavily and then leaned forward on the bar counter. "Well, I kind of have a confession to make."

"Ah? Let's hear it." Lifting his mug of ale to his lips, he took a draught. Man, he was thirsty.

"Okay, so I might have told a few people some time ago how exciting it would be if there was a love triangle going on," she said sheepishly. "And I might have mentioned that you living next to Lucy's apartment made you… Natsu's love rival?"

Laxus choked on his drink and he sputtered furiously, "You what?"

"Look, I'm really sorry," she told him earnestly, giving him an apologetic smile. "I didn't expect that everyone would make a fuss about it."

He stared at her, his mouth hanging open. This was all Mirajane's doing? No wonder his guildmates would always get overly excited whenever he and Natsu would fight. So, they thought they were love rivals, did they?

"But, then again," added Mirajane, her voice full of amusement, "I'm not exactly wrong, am I?"

"About what?" he asked testily, his patience running out at the white-haired woman whom he respected so much.

"About you and Natsu being love rivals."

"What? No! And would you stop with that stupid love rival thing? Jeez."

"Oh, cheer up, Laxus. It's not the end of Earth Land if people knew you and Natsu are trying to win over Lucy's affections."

"I'm _leaving_." Laxus rose to his feet and walked away from her. _This is ridiculous. _She really was a she-devil after all.


	12. Sleep Deprived

**A/N: Been sick for days. So, here's the next chapter. Thanks for waiting.**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Sleep Deprived**

Lucy Heartfilia quietly dragged a chair next to Natsu Dragneel's bed and then sat on it, her eyes lingering on her best friend. He was still sleeping, his breathing even. For a moment, she felt a little envious of his position because she could use a decent amount of sleep herself. But then she quickly changed her mind when she realized how battered he looked.

_I hope Wendy's on her way here, _she thought._ Oh, Natsu. Just what were you thinking, picking a fight again with Laxus like that?_

Yawning, she reached out to pushed back some of his pink hair that fell on his eyes. When her fingers brushed against his forehead, his eyes flew open. Startled, she tried to withdraw her hand, but her best friend caught it and brought it to his cheek. "Hey, Luce."

"N-Natsu," stammered Lucy. "How are you feeling?"

Natsu grunted in response and sat up, wincing in pain. Then, he let her hand go and rubbed his abdomen.

"Ow," he grumbled. "That _guy_." He muttered curses under his breath and then looked at Lucy. "Can't believe I lost to Laxus again."

She huffed impatiently. "Will you _stop_ picking a fight with him, Natsu?" she told him, folding her arms. "I thought I told you that I'd find another apartment."

He looked intently at her. Then, "No, you wouldn't," he said quietly.

"What's the supposed to mean?" she demanded, her eyes furrowed.

He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. Then, he blurted out, "I heard you two earlier. I thought you told me that there's nothing going on between you and him."

She gasped, stunned. "So, uh, you were listening?" she whispered, bracing herself. She wanted to ask him if he also saw them… but it didn't matter. He had found her out before she could even tell him.

"I didn't mean to, I promise," he told her. "I thought I was only dreaming or something. But then I recognized your voice and your scent. So, I just, you know, pretended to be asleep since you two were kind of having a moment."

Natsu was talking so openly about what happened that Lucy felt embarrassed and guilty. She wanted the floor to swallow her up; this wasn't how she wanted her best friend to find out about her feelings for Laxus. She wanted to be the one to tell him.

"I'm sorry, Natsu," she said in a small voice. "Please don't be mad. I was going to tell you."

"I'm not mad, Luce," he told her, shaking his head. "I guess I'm just a little sad, is all. But we can't help who we like, right?" He shrugged his shoulders.

Feeling a lump in her throat, she chose not to answer him and just looked down at her shoes.

"Hey, don't worry about it," said Natsu, waving his hand. "If he makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. But if he _hurts_ you though…" he pounded his fist into his hand. "I'll make him regret it."

Unable to stop herself, Lucy burst into tears. "Oh, Natsu!"

She covered her face with her hands. She was crazy to think that her best friend could ever hate her. He was such a good guy, a great friend, and she hoped with all her heart that someday he would meet someone who could return his feelings and give him the kind of affection that he deserved.

"What—? Why are you turning into a hosepipe?" said the fire mage disbelievingly. "Didn't I tell you that it's okay?"

Wiping the tears from her eyes with her hand, she quickly rose from her seat and then planted a kiss on her best friend's cheek. "Thank you, Natsu," she told him softly. "I'd hug you, but your bruises…"

He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… yeah, anything for you, Luce," he said.

She sniffled. "I thought I'd lose my best friend."

"_Baka. _You're such a drama queen. You could never lose me," he snorted. "And about this morning—just in case you were wondering—I didn't fight Laxus this time for the same reason. I fought him because I just wanted to _beat_ him. You know what I'm saying?" He grinned broadly.

She chuckled and reached out to squeeze his hand with hers. "You're insane, you know that?"

"And you're a weirdo," said Natsu, returning her affectionate gesture.

Lucy stifled a yawn, rubbing her temple with her free hand. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

The fire mage eyed her concernedly. "Are you tired?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little," she replied, smiling slightly. "I didn't get any sleep last night."

He nodded. "No wonder you look horrible."

"Hey! How rude," she told him, crossing her arms.

He laughed and then winked at her. "Do you want to take a day off from work?"

"As _if_ Erza would let me," she told him, rolling her eyes.

"Who knows? Maybe she's in a good mood right now," he argued. Then, his expression darkened. "I mean she did just win a bet. Agh! Can you _believe_ that she and that ice pervert placed their bets on Laxus instead of me?"

As if on cue, Happy, Wendy, Gray, and Erza entered the infirmary. The ice and requip mages were grinning at the both of them.

"Good. You're finally awake," said the redhead to Natsu, which the pink-haired boy acknowledged by grunting unhappily.

The blue feline and the sky dragon slayer quickly rushed to Natsu's side. "I'm so sorry that I didn't arrive sooner!" the younger mage cried.

"Nah, it's all good, Wendy," said Natsu, grinning at her. Then, he turned to Happy. "Hey, buddy. You alright?" he asked.

"Aye," replied Happy.

Wendy extended her arms and then started healing the other dragon slayer's bruises. In the meantime, Erza held up a piece of paper in front of everyone. "Listen up. I found us a job, and it looks like it's going to be a week-long quest. According to our client, we're going to be traveling to an island. So, we need to set sail tonight."

"What?" yelped Lucy, wondering what kind of job the older mage had picked out from the request board. She suddenly felt dizzy and just wanted to go home and sleep.

"Is there a problem, Lucy?" asked Erza, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… I…" She sighed and rubbed her neck. She badly wanted to sit this one out. In fact, she wanted to take a couple of days off. She felt physically and emotionally drained.

"What's the matter, Luce?" asked Gray. "You're usually excited to go out on an adventure with us."

"I know, and I am," she assured him. "But right now, I kind of want to catch up with sleep." This time, she didn't even suppress her yawn to prove a point.

"Yeah, what's with the bags under your eyes? You look horrible," the ice mage remarked, taking a closer look at her.

"That's what I said earlier," said Natsu.

"Okay, okay, I look horrible!" grumbled Lucy, throwing up her hands. Then, she turned to requip mage. "I'm sorry, Erza. You can hate me, but I'm going to have to sit this one out."

To her surprise, Erza just shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if you change your mind, then meet us back here before sundown."

Lucy nodded at her. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

"Told you she's in a good mood," whispered Natsu, tilting his head toward the celestial mage.

"What was that, Natsu?" asked Erza testily.

The fire mage flinched. "N-Nothing, ma'am."

Lucy glanced at her best friend, smiling at him. He smiled back_._

_Thanks, Natsu. _


	13. Obsession

**Chapter 13: Obsession**

As expected, the Thunder Legion accompanied Laxus Dreyar on his way out of the guild without question or complaint. The lightning mage felt a little guilty for having them leave their food and drink back inside so they could follow him. However, his agitation to avoid everyone's awkward stares and whispers got the best of him that he couldn't linger in the guildhall for a second longer.

"Have you already picked out a job request from the board, Freed?" asked Laxus idly, although he was sure that his most loyal friend already had.

"Certainly, Sir!" replied Freed immediately, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his dark red coat and held it up. "It seems that there's a dark guild that's been terrorizing the locals in Oshibana every night. We are to locate their whereabouts and subdue them."

"Oshibana," repeated Bickslow, rubbing his chin. "Isn't that near Clover Town where the masters of legal guilds hold their meetings?"

"Yes, Bicks," told Evergreen. "In fact, Master Makarov did mention about going there today. It's going to be his first meeting with the other guild masters since his return."

"I bet Master Bob will be there, too," said Bickslow, snickering. "Along with Ichiya and the Trimens. Should we drop by and say hi to our former guildmates after the quest?"

Laxus grimaced. "Forget it," he mumbled, earning him a roar of laughter from his friends.

* * *

The trip to Oshibana didn't help improve Laxus' mood as he was forced to ride rail transportation to get there. Even with his sound pod, he couldn't escape the downside of being a dragon slayer. He felt sick to his stomach as the train continued to roll on high-speed, but he chose not to show it to the Thunder Legion.

He leaned back against his seat in one of the train's private compartments and thought of Lucy Heartfilia. He wondered if her "talk" with the fire mage came along fine. And would she be going on a mission with him today?

_Tsk. Of course, she would be. What am I thinking? She's teammates with him._

"What was that, Laxus?" asked Evergreen, who was sitting across him. She was holding a book and seemed to look distracted.

He stared at her. Had he thought out loud? He cleared his throat and replied, "I didn't say anything."

"Oh, okay," said the fairy magic user, shrugging her shoulders and crossing her legs. "I thought you said something." She resumed her reading with a slight smile on her face.

Laxus closed his eyes. This was going to be a long ride.

* * *

Damn it. He missed her.

Lucy Heartfilia was all Laxus could think about as he sent the dark guild troublemakers flying in Oshibana. At sundown, he and the Thunder Legion had finally found their hideout and asked that they surrender themselves. Naturally, the dark guild members had chosen to attack and fight them.

"Hey, Laxus—look out!" yelled Bickslow.

"Look out! Look out!" screamed the seith mage user's dolls.

He turned his head and saw a burly man in simple black robes charging at him from behind. The opponent aimed a large axe at him, but the lightning mage easily blocked his attempted assault and released a lightning attack, electrifying him. Then, he kicked him to the ground, where he fell immediately unconscious.

"What's with you, Laxus?" asked Evergreen concernedly. "You're zoning out on a mission."

Seriously, he just wanted to be done with the mission, get his hefty reward from the client, and then see his neighbor back in their apartment building in Magnolia. Maybe they could finally talk about their relationship, and then possibly even share a kiss. Or maybe do more than that…

"This is child's play," growled Laxus. "I just want to go home."

"As expected of Laxus," said Freed in an approving voice.

"Well, we're going to have to go home tomorrow morning," said Evergreen. "The Oshibana Station closes at six—or at least that's what the board in the station read."

"What?" he snarled, shooting her a dark look. "There's got to be a way to—!"

"What _is_ it with you?" she snapped, putting a hand on her hip. She seemed to be losing her patience with him despite him being the leader.

He breathed deeply and tried to calm himself. This was his nakama, and what he just said to her didn't make any sense. There was no way he could return to Magnolia tonight with the train station being closed. Although he would gladly use his lightning magic to transport himself home, he wouldn't dare leave the Thunder Legion behind.

"I'm sorry, Ever," he finally said, feeling embarrassed. "I don't know what came over me. I just…"

They wouldn't understand. Even he didn't understand his feelings himself. He was starting to become fixated with the celestial mage that it disturbed him to no end.

_What's she doing right now? Was she only with Natsu while on a job, or did Erza and Gray accompany them? Would Natsu make a move on her again?_

The unsettling questions inside his head were endless. Then, he realized that he probably had been suppressing his feelings all along—his attraction to Lucy, his desire to have her, and his jealousy toward Natsu, who was obviously close to her. Now, all the emotions that he had been trying to bury had surfaced, almost driving him insane.

Bickslow dispelled his dolls and walked over to him. Then, he slapped him on the back. "I think our friend here needs a drink." He sighed. "What do you say, Laxus?"

Laxus glanced at him. Then, he gave him a curt nod. His nakama was right; maybe he needed a drink to clear his mind. So far, he hadn't been himself, and he hated himself for it.

"And maybe this time, you could _talk_ to us about what's been bothering you," the seith mage user added, chuckling. "We're here for you, man. You know that, right?"

The lightning mage studied his friends' faces for a moment. They were all looking at him with fondness and concern. Moved, he finally grinned at them, now feeling certain that they wouldn't ridicule them if he opened up to them his troubles.

Well, there was only one: Lucy.

"Fine," he said, scratching his head. "Sorry again for troubling you guys."

"Believe us, Laxus," said Evergreen, her smile returning. "You'd put us through a lot worse." She walked over to him and gave him a warm hug. Freed and Bickslow followed suit.

Laxus finally let out a laugh. Then, he hugged them back. "Thanks, you guys."


	14. A Day at the Beach

**Chapter 14: A Day at the Beach**

When Lucy Heartfilia woke up in her bed, she found a note pinned on the wall beside her. She recognized Natsu Dragneel's penmanship.

"_Hey, Luce! We're sailing to Caracole Island. I'm a little bummed that you're not coming with us, but you take care, yeah? Natsu."_

Lucy glanced at the clock that hung above her bedroom door; it was already past seven. So, she had slept for about six hours or so. She took a deep breath and was satisfied that her lungs didn't hurt anymore from sleep deprivation. In fact, she felt well-rested.

_Wow, Caracole Island! Isn't that a famous tourist resort?_

A wave of regret suddenly washed over her. The thought of her friends enjoying their time in a fancy beach and eating mouth-watering treats that couldn't possibly be sold anywhere in Fiore made her groan in annoyance.

_Well, then. Maybe I should go to Akane beach myself tomorrow morning!_

Lucy smiled to herself and got up from the bed. Then, she started rummaging for different pairs of swimwear and some clothes in her closet.

Yeah, there was no need to get all gloomy. She should spend a couple of days in someplace where she could relax and recharge. Her rent wasn't due until next week, so she still had time to find a job after her vacation. Maybe, she could take solo missions.

"There!" she said brightly, looking at her luggage for tomorrow's trip to Akane beach. She was all set. All her favorite bikini pairs, beach clothes, sunscreen, and hair blower—the important things—were packed.

Now, she should start making dinner. As she stepped outside of her bedroom, the first thing she saw in the main room of her apartment was her fluffy couch. For some reason, it made her stomach do a backflip.

"Laxus," she murmured. Then, she blushed and shook her head, wondering why she had said the lightning mage's name out loud.

_Why else? I miss him_, she thought, sighing as she made her way into her kitchen.

* * *

Lucy luckily fell asleep again after she had her dinner, and it was barely sunrise when she woke up in her bed. She was feeling all fired up since Akane beach was the first thing that came into her mind. She quickly got up from her bed and jumped into the shower to get ready.

Later, she donned a yellow tank top paired with white shorts and pink slippers. Then, she placed a sun hat on her head and wore a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses. She checked herself in the mirror—she looked like a girl who was about to have some fun!

After dragging her luggage with her to the main door, she stopped for a moment. Then, she strode over to her bedroom, picked up a pen and paper from her desk drawer, and began to write:

_Hey, neighbor. I'm off to Akane beach. Sorry, I won't be able to fix you anything in the next couple of days—if you're home, that is. Lucy._

She read her letter a few times and decided that it sounded okay. It seemed casual, yeah? She thought that was more appropriate for now.

Lucy found herself hoping that Laxus would go after her at the resort, and maybe they could spend some time together and talk… or do stuff.

_Cut it out, Lucy_, she thought to herself exasperatedly, feeling her blush crept up her cheeks again. _Don't get your hopes up. Unlike you, he's probably busy with other things._

* * *

Lucy's trip to Akane beach went smoothly. Well, sort of. She had to summon Loke to take care of the leering old perverts along the way, which she regretted later because her celestial spirit had started flirting with her and refused to return to his world.

It was already nine in the morning when she spread her beach blanket over the white sand and lay there. Moments later, Leo the Lion joined her.

"Okay, Loke," she said irritably, "I don't need your assistance anymore, so why don't you return to the celestial world?"

"That's cold, Lucy," said Loke mockingly, adjusting back his azure-tinted sunglasses on his nose. He was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a pair of orange board shorts. "I don't want to miss sunbathing with my _wife_."

"Yes, yes," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why don't you go get yourself a drink at the beach bar?"

"Are you sure that'll be a good idea?" he asked, his eyes gleaming. "Because if I go over there now, I'm not sure if I can resist the ladies."

"Don't worry, Loke," she told him, deciding to play along, "your _wife_ won't get jealous. Now run along."

Grinning, Loke got up and went off to the beach bar. Sighing contentedly, Lucy continued to bask herself in the sun. She closed her eyes behind her sunglasses and inhaled the salty breeze—how relaxing!

All of a sudden, she sensed something blocking the sun. She frowned slightly and opened her eyes, but it took her a moment to focus on the figure standing above her head. At first, she thought Loke had returned to her spot, but then she realized that this person's stature was taller—and his build was much larger than her celestial spirit.

After blinking a few times, she could finally see a large tribal tattoo on the person's bare body above his Fairy Tail emblem. He was wearing a pair of black board shorts and white sneakers.

A lump formed in her throat when she realized who it was. _He came._

"I just got back from Oshibana, and you're already someone else's _wife_?" asked Laxus Dreyar, crouching on the sand to take a closer look at her. Then, he removed her sunglasses so that his gray eyes could pierce into hers.

"Laxus," she gasped, feeling worried that the he would misinterpret her and Loke. "It's… it's not what you think."

"I'm just kidding, woman."

Before Lucy could react, the lightning mage leaned in for a reverse kiss, sending tingles all over her body. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, wondering if she would melt under his lips.

* * *

It seemed like a perfect beach date for Lucy. She and Laxus swam through the waves, laughing and then embracing each other. When they kissed, she could taste the saltiness in his lips, and she found it thoroughly enticing. His muscular body kept her warm in the cold waters as he never seemed to detach himself from her.

At lunchtime, they went to the beach bar and ordered some food and fruit shakes. They were sitting on the barstools when she saw Laxus nodding at Loke, who was surrounded by beach beauties that a man could probably ever dream of having.

"Aren't you jealous that your _husband_ is hanging out with other women?" asked Laxus after taking a bite at his hamburger.

Lucy snorted. "Okay, stop it, you," she told him, stirring her straw in her glass of fruit shake. "Loke and I are _not_ like that."

He nodded. "So, how was your talk with Natsu?"

"It went well. I, uh, finally told him about us."

"So, you're no longer moving out of your apartment?"

Lucy laughed. "Wow, so many questions at once!"

He blushed and looked a bit sheepish. "Sorry," he said. "It's just…"

She raised her eyebrows at him and tilted her head to the side. "It's just what?" she prompted.

He hesitated for a moment. Then, he started mumbling incoherent words without looking at her. A few moments later, he contented himself by sipping his fruit shake.

_Despite his looks, he sometimes acts like a kid._

"I missed you, too, Laxus," she told him softly, taking his drink away from him and setting it down on the bar counter. Then, she leaned over her seat and brushed her lips against his lightly, surprising him this time.

_Did I ever tell you? I like you so much._


	15. Q & A

**Chapter 15: Q A**

The sun and the last of its rays finally disappeared from the horizon, and Laxus Dreyar could hear his lover beside him sigh softly. They were standing on a concrete balcony outside the hotel room that he was staying in Akane. It was a perfect spot to hang out because it overlooked the white sand and the sea.

Coincidentally, Laxus' hotel room was right next to Lucy Heartfilia's, which had surprised them both. The lightning mage then had taken the opportunity to invite her over for some hot chocolate after they had showered and changed clothes in their respective rooms.

Right now, Lucy was wearing a loose red sweater on top of her white cotton shorts. Her blonde hair looked like they had been blow-dried, and they smelled like lavender.

_What's she thinking about? She's been quiet since we came up here._

Lucy leaned her head against his shoulder as she took a sip from her mug of hot chocolate, her eyes still lingering toward the dark horizon.

"Say," she suddenly uttered, catching him by surprise. "Did you know where I was staying before you booked this room?" She glanced up at him with a curious expression on her face.

"No, I didn't," replied Laxus with shrug. "This was the only available room left when I made the reservation."

"I see," she said, nodding her head slowly. Then, she went back to sipping her hot chocolate. "Even in Akane, we're next-door neighbors. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah. Tell me about it."

Silence fell between them again. Well, not quite, since she started humming softly to herself, sounding rather happy. Laxus shifted his weight from one foot to the other. As he looked down at her face, which was now glowing under the moonlight, there was something in her expression and that sweet drink of hers that he found rather—_sensual_.

"Got another question there that you'd like to throw at me, neighbor?" he asked her lightly. He lifted his hand and started caressing her back.

He heard her purr at his touch, and he suddenly felt all excited. He began pressing his fingers on her back, replacing his caresses with a gentle massage.

"Another question? Hmm, let's see…" She looked like she was thinking for a moment because she closed her eyes. Then, "Did you know that I'm not wearing any underwear at the moment?" she asked softly.

His fingers abruptly stopped massaging her back. It took all of Laxus' self-control not to feel up her bottom. _Damn._

Clearing his throat, he responded, "Still a no." And she snickered at him. _Sly._

It was like when they were in their apartment back in Magnolia—she would try to mess around with his head by making playful remarks. But knowing her, she would get all flustered whenever he would retaliate.

"I see," she said, poking him in the ribs with her elbow.

He chuckled and dropped his hand altogether. "Now, how about you ask me something where I can't say no?"

"Okay, just give me a moment," she told him. A small smile played on her lips before she took another sip of her drink.

Moments later, she set down her mug on a round wooden table next to her and rubbed her hands together. Then, she looked at him in the eye and tilted her head to the side. "Did you ever have fantasies about me?"

Laxus laughed heartily, running a hand through his hair. "What kind of a question is that?"

"One where you're required to answer," she said smugly, folding her arms.

"Okay. Then—yeah." _A lot._

Lucy smiled at him. "Fine. It's now your turn to ask me questions, _neighbor_."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "My turn, huh? Okay. So, did you ever have fantasies about _me_?"

In truth, he had always wondered about that. He felt convinced that she couldn't possibly be throwing suggestive remarks at him if she hadn't fantasized about him at least once. Still, he was eager to hear her answer.

She sighed, throwing up her hands. "You can't ask the same question."

"Ah? Says who?"

"Says me. It's against the rules."

He scowled. "What rules? Hey, you can't just make up rules—"

"Fine, fine." She sighed again, waving her hand dismissively.

"So?" he prompted, folding his arms over his chest. "Answer my question."

"Well—it's _not_ a no," she replied timidly, tucking a lose wisp of hair behind her ear.

He nodded, satisfied with her answer, although it aroused him. He moved in front of her, and then he tilted her chin up to him. "Do you enjoy kisses with tongue?" _It's my turn now, sweetheart._

She was silent for a moment, her face turning into a brilliant shade of red. "Still not a no," she finally whispered to him.

Her breath smelled like chocolate that it was intoxicating. Tempted, Laxus bent over and pressed his lips against hers. Wanting to taste the sweet chocolate and her, he slowly slipped his tongue into her mouth. Just when he could sense her warming up to his kiss, he drew back, licking his lips and gazing into her eyes.

"I realize that don't like this question and answer game," she said breathlessly. Then, she avoided his gaze by leaning her forehead against his chest. "Can't we just drop it?"

"Ah, but there's one more question left to ask, neighbor," he told her. "I mean—just to be fair."

He felt her shake her head on his chest. "Whatever. Let's get this over with."

He laughed, patting her on the head. "Okay. So, uh, do you want to—?"

"It's not a no," she answered immediately, interrupting him.

He snorted. "Ah? But I haven't even finished the question yet."

"There's no need," she told him, glancing up at him, her eyes dazed. "I kind of know what you're going to ask."

His eyebrows shot up. "You do now?"

"Yeah, and… my answer is still not a no."

Laxus smiled slightly and wrapped his arms around her. Then, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Shall we go inside then?" he suggested gently.

"Yeah."

* * *

**A/N: Too cheesy? Fro thinks so, too.**


	16. Hot and Cold Water

**Chapter 16: Hot and Cold Water**

Laxus Dreyar's large hands were surprisingly gentle as he lay Lucy Heartfilia on his bed and stripped her clothing one piece at a time. His lips, however, were not; they were hard and demanding. She liked them, no matter.

Now completely naked, she tried to cover her round breasts with her hands, but he gently tugged them away and then replaced them with his steamy kisses. She moaned softly, fisting his blond hair with her hands.

"You're beautiful," she heard him say, his voice deeper than usual, arousing her even more.

Laxus straightened up and quickly removed his clothes. Lucy stared at him, feeling breathless as she finally saw him bare. His muscular and perfectly toned body didn't only look magnificent in her eyes, but it also looked surreal like a god carved out to perfection.

As they made love, she felt him claim her with the force of passion that she had often seen in his eyes. She was surprised at how he could easily make her come undone and give in to his every demand. But she didn't mind. Meeting his every need fulfilled hers immensely.

She didn't dare close her eyes. Every detail of his face and body was too important to miss as he moved to bring them both to climax. And when they finally came, they looked at each other, taking in their expressions.

Her first time with him was truly special because it was purely out of their desire to be together and become intimately closer. She was glad that they waited until this moment.

* * *

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

They were facing each other in a hot tub, enjoying the heated water that was massaging their muscles delightfully. They had fallen asleep earlier. Lucy had been the first to wake up and had taken the liberty to take a dip into the tub. Minutes later, Laxus had joined her.

The lightning mage shrugged. "Just asking," he told her.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you?"

He pulled her close and turned her around so that her back was leaning against his chest. Then, he wrapped his arms around her small frame and rested his chin on top of her head. "You bet I am," he murmured.

She chuckled and closed her eyes, savoring the warmth that he was giving her. She let her fingers caress his strong arms as she leaned her back more freely against his body. Moments later, she could feel his manhood harden behind her. How fascinating. She wasn't really doing anything.

"Do you want to do it here?" he asked her suddenly, placing his hands on her shoulders and stroking her skin with his thumbs.

The celestial mage immediately blushed, but she found herself muttering, "The shower would be much better—"

There was a loud splash. Laxus had quickly scooped Lucy in his arms and stepped out of the tub, catching her by surprise.

"W-wait, what are you doing?" she questioned, stammering, as he strode over to where the shower was.

"What do you think?" was his only response.

Inside the shower, he carefully set her down. Then, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her hard, cupping her breasts with his hands as he did so.

"You said you wanted to do it with me in the shower, right?" he murmured against her lips.

"I-I didnt... I only meant—ahh!"

She moaned as she felt his finger slid between her legs. She was instantly aroused by this intimate gesture, leaving her speechless.

As the lightning mage continued to work his finger inside of her, she wantonly slipped her tongue into his mouth and relished the taste and feel of him.

Her face burned in embarrassment as she sensed herself almost reaching her climax. The erotic sensation that he was giving her was too much, so when she came in his finger, she broke the kiss and cried out his name.

But he wasn't done with her yet.

The celestial mage suddenly felt him lift her upper body with his strong hands. She tightened her arms around his neck for support as he guided her legs and wrapped them around his waist. Then, he slightly changed her body's angle by lowering her as he gripped her hips tightly.

Moments later, she felt him inside of her, and he wasn't gentle about it. She noticed that he wasn't holding himself back. At all.

It was hot, sweet sex, and she never felt anything like it. Being cornered against the wall with his body pressed against hers and his hard length thrusting inside of her, she thought she would go crazy. It was beyond her fantasy.

Acting on instinct, she bit his shoulder, and she could hear him groan with pleasure. Feeling embarrassed after seeing the bite mark on his skin, she quickly smoothed it with her tongue.

"If you want to bite me, Lucy, then don't hold back," he told her.

"Okay." She kissed him deeply and then started nipping at his lower lip. Then, she sucked on it, letting the tip of her tongue graze the swollen lip. She could sense her lover losing control because he was now thrusting himself inside of her more roughly than before.

Lucy could feel her body tense again, realizing that she was about to reach her climax once more. Shuddering, she moaned in his ear, "Laxus, I'm about to come."

"Is that so?" he growled.

She could feel his body's muscles tighten even further. Then, she realized that he was about to reach his limit, too. She placed a hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. When he returned her gaze, she saw his gray orbs blazing with intensity.

When Laxus shove himself inside of her in one more forceful thrust, Lucy felt him come as she, herself, reached her own climax. They had cried out as the waves of passion overwhelmed them both.

Breathing hard, he slowly lowered her legs to the floor and hugged her tightly. Despite her mind's trance-like state, she heard him pant:

_"I love you."_

Stunned, Lucy glanced up at him, and she saw him looking surprised as well. She realized that he hadn't meant to say it but wondered why he did. She opened her mouth to speak, but Laxus had already reached out and turned the shower knob beside her. Then, there was a heavy sprinkle of cold water.


	17. Love and Champagne

**Chapter 17: Love and Champagne**

_Great, I scared her away_, Laxus Dreyar thought as tossed and turned in his bed. It was nearly midnight, and he wanted very much to fall asleep already. But the sleep wouldn't come. And it was all because of his carelessness.

Earlier, Lucy Heartfilia had politely excused herself and left his room after they had taken a shower together. He wondered if he should have asked her to stay with him. They had such a great time together until he blurted out something that he probably shouldn't have.

He had never before told a woman that he loved her—not even in the throes of passion. Not even in an attempt to seduce them. So, he wondered why he had said those words to her—_after _they had sex.

"_Kuso_," he finally cursed, kicking the sheets and jumping out of bed. He impatiently straightened his robe and strode over to the balcony. Sliding the glass door, he stepped out and realized that it was warmer outside.

The darkness that engulfed the beach was only brightened by the moon. And the sound of waves crashing on the shore was rather soothing.

_I could really use a drink right now__, _he thought as he deeply inhaled the salty breeze that seemed to hover over him.

Then, he stiffened. He had caught a whiff of Lucy's luscious scent. Perplexed, he turned his face to the side and actually found her leaning on the balcony railing outside her room. But she was too fixated in her stargazing to have noticed him.

Ah, just watching his lover made his heart beat faster. She was already in her nightclothes, her blonde hair tied up in a messy topknot. Her lovely face, illuminated by the moonlight, seemed serene, except for her eyes—somehow, they looked troubled.

_I wonder what she's thinking right now._

In truth, he never thought that they would end up being this close in over a month. Sure, he already considered her as a part of his family since she was with Fairy Tail, but it had never occurred to him that he would feel this drawn to her like how he was now.

She was always cheerful, flirty, and fun to be around. She also seemed to be genuinely interested in his company. And whenever he kissed her, her heart would race, her body would heat up, and she would respond to him passionately.

Really, how could he not love her?

"Laxus?"

The lightning mage hadn't realized that Lucy was already staring back at him. But her sweet voice brought him out of his musings.

"Oh, hey," he managed to utter, scratching his head. He saw that her expression was a mixture of worry and affection. "Just wondering what you're doing outside, is all."

"I couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same."

She paused for a moment. Then, "You want to grab a drink at the casino?" she asked shyly.

He grinned at her. He couldn't help himself. "I was just thinking the same thing."

* * *

The casino was located in the basement of the hotel. There was a small bar on one corner with several barstools for the customers. And despite the late hour, there were still people indulging in drinking and gambling.

Laxus and Lucy, now dressed in their casual clothes, seated themselves on the unoccupied barstools and ordered glasses of champagne from the bartender.

"Ah, this tastes good!" she exclaimed after she took a sip of her drink, sighing and closing her eyes blissfully.

"Good to know that you're enjoying your drink," he told her earnestly, tilting his own glass to his lips.

She smiled at him. "You know, this reminds me of the time when I was still working as an editor at Sorcerer Magazine," she said. "Whenever we'd manage to get a great scoop, Jason and the rest of the team would celebrate and pop a bottle of champagne."

"What was it like working there?" he asked, pleased that she was talking normally with him.

"It was… awfully challenging at first, but then I got the hang of it," she told him, shrugging her shoulders. "Still, I preferred taking mage jobs. It's much more satisfying, being able to help people—plus, the reward is always hefty."

He chuckled at that. "I'm glad you chose to come back to Fairy Tail."

She nodded, now looking serious. "Of course. I wouldn't trade Fairy Tail for the world."

"Same."

She titled her head. "Say, I never got to ask you. Where were you when Fairy Tail disbanded?"

"The Thunder Legion and I joined Blue Pegasus," he grunted, trying to brush off the sordid memory of Ichiya and the Trimens forcing them to act as entertainers.

"Wait. Don't they do…?" she trailed off, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah, don't remind me. I only joined them because it's the easiest way to get mage jobs. They weren't bad or anything. I just find them, you know, _weird_."

"I see. Well, _I'm _glad that you chose to come back to Fairy Tail."

"Heh."

A couple of hours went by swiftly as both mages told each other their stories about last year's events. They talked, joked, and laughed as they finished several more glasses of champagne.

Lucy's face was already red from drinking, and Laxus could sense her drunkenness as she started lightly running her fingers up and down his chest and leaned intimately closer to him.

"_Ne_, Laxus," she purred at him, now inching her face up to him. "Why do you love me?"

Feeling a little tipsy himself, he murmured, "Let's go back to my room."

"And would you tell me then?" she asked, lacing her arms around his neck.

She was practically leaning her entire body against Laxus now. Mavis, how her soft curves aroused him to madness! The lightning mage placed an arm around her waist and kissed her fervently. They really needed to get out of here.

A few moments later, he broke the heady kiss and handed the amused bartender a chunk of money. Then, he scooped his lover in his arms and carried her out of the casino.

_Why do I love you? Because you're you. You're Lucy._


	18. That One Memory

**Chapter 18: ****That One Memory**

Lucy Heartfilia woke up with a throbbing headache. Groaning, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to shift to a more comfortable position, but then she winced when she realized that her entire body was sore.

_What happened to me? Ugh_, she thought to herself as she opened her eyes and scanned them across the room. _Hold on, this isn't my _room. Confused, she looked down and found herself wearing a man's shirt—and she couldn't feel her underwear.

She quickly sat up and then cried as her head throbbed more painfully than before. She massaged her head, trying to ease the pain. She tried to recall what happened before she slept, but her memory was hazy. All she could remember that she and Laxus had been drinking champagne and talking.

_Wait. Where's Laxus?_

She glanced over to the glass door that separated the room and the balcony and found the lightning mage standing outside. And he was—

"Smoking?" yelped Lucy in disbelief.

Laxus must have heard her because he turned around, his eyes wide opened. In a split second, the celestial mage saw his face reddening, and he quickly looked away. Then, she watched him put out his cigar.

Lucy slowly got out of bed, walked over to the glass door, and slid it open. As she stepped out to the balcony, she held up her arm to protect her eyes from the glaring sun. _Ugh, what's with this light?_

"Hey," she said cautiously. The faint scent of cigar had clung to his clothes that she wrinkled her nose. "Why are you smoking?"

"Ah, it's nothing," he replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, my head hurts. Like, a lot," she told him. "My body is also sore. Like someone beat the crap out of me." She squinted up at him. "But I can't seem to remember what happened."

There was it again, his blush. But he looked somewhat surprised. "So," he began, "you don't remember anything?"

"No, my mind's pretty hazy right now."

"Ah."

"Care to fill me in?"

Laxus cleared his throat. "I'd rather wait until your memory comes back," he said awkwardly.

Baffled, Lucy tilted her head. "But why?" she demanded. "What happened?"

"Forget it, okay?" he retorted, folding his arms over his chest. Then, in a softer voice, he said, "It's past breakfast. You want to head to the beach and grab something to eat?"

Realizing that she won't be getting any answers from him at this point, she nodded her head at him. "Okay."

* * *

Lucy and her lover sat again on the beach bar and ordered sandwiches and juice for brunch. She had gone back to her room, took a quick shower, and donned a pair of red bikini, a flowy beach cover-up with an intricate heart design, and a hat. After she had taken some aspirin, her headache had subsided a little.

Laxus, on the other hand, had sported a fancy Caribbean blue shirt matched with contrasting dark blue linen shorts. For the first time, he had worn a pair of black sunglasses. In Lucy's opinion, he looked like a celebrity. He smelled good, too, with the scent of cigar gone; it was replaced with his musky scent and masculine perfume.

The celestial mage grinned to herself. So, this was her lover—tall, powerful, and ridiculously handsome.

Laxus caught her staring at him because he cocked his head to the side. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Feeling his gaze behind his sunglasses, she blushed and shook her head. "No," she replied. "You just… look good."

He gave her a crooked grin, and she felt her heart speed up. She realized that she was suddenly nervous. _Strange. Why am I feeling this way?_

"I think you look good, too," he told her in a casual tone and then took a bite at his sandwich.

"Thanks."

They continued to eat their sandwiches in silence, savoring each other's company and listening to the beach goers chattering around them. To their surprise, Loke was there, too, flirting outrageously with the ladies in bikinis.

"How is it that your husband is still here?" asked Laxus.

Lucy snorted. "Oh, drop the husband remark, would you?" she said exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. "Well, Loke can summon himself into this world without me having to open his gate. He won't be draining my magic, of course, since he's using his."

"Ah, so that's how it is," he said, adjusting his sunglasses on his nose.

She nodded her head. Then, she frowned at him. "Are you really not going to tell me what happened—?"

"Just drop it, neighbor," he interrupted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I think it would be better if you didn't remember."

She gaped at him. "Was it that embarrassing? Just what in the spirits world did I do?"

"Nothing… It's…"

"And why are you always blushing?"

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

Laxus groaned and ran his hand through his spiky hair. Then, he lowered his voice so that only Lucy could hear him. "We were drinking at the casino. We both got drunk. Then, we went to bed. Can you honestly not remember anything?"

She massaged her temple, trying hard to recall. _Yeah, we did get drunk. He carried me all the way to his bedroom. Then, I…_

Slowly, the memory started coming back to her.

_She had clumsily ripped his shirt off the moment they were in his bedroom. He had protested as his shirt buttons had flown in every direction._

"_You know," he had growled, "you're going to pay for what you've done to this shirt."_

"_Then, make me pay, Laxus," she had slurred, completely drunk. "Make me pay now."_

_Laxus had pushed her onto the bed, unzipped his pants, and he had made her—_

The celestial mage gasped as she recalled what had happened. She could feel the heat rising to her neck, cheeks, and ears. She stared at Laxus, who was looking away from her, his own face red with embarrassment.

"I didn't mean to," he muttered. "I was drunk, and I wasn't thinking." Then, he paused. "I'm sorry."

_Lucy had loved every minute of it, even though she had never done it before. Laxus had brought her to a different level of desire, one where she would submit to him without reservation._

"_Are you enjoying your punishment?" he had asked her._

_He had pinned her wrists above her head as he kissed and nipped at every part of her body that he could reach. Then, he had lowered his face and stuck his tongue into her moist flesh._

_She had writhed in pleasure, calling out his name over and again. As she had reached her climax, then came her final moan:_

"_Laxus… I love you."_

Lucy shook her head, now covering her hot face with her hands. _Spirits! Did that just happen?_

"Hey," said Laxus, placing a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "Let's not… think about that right now."

She slowly lowered her hands and looked at him tensely. "Yeah, okay."

He smiled slightly and cocked his head. "You want to go for a swim?"

She nodded. "Y-yeah. Let's go."

_It's going to be alright. I'm with him now._


	19. Strong Ties

**Chapter 19: Strong Ties **

It was early in the morning when Laxus Dreyar entered the double doors of the Fairy Tail guildhall. He scanned the tables for the Thunder Legion and realized that they hadn't arrived yet, so he went over to the bar where Mirajane Strauss was.

The take-over mage smiled up at him and leaned over the bar counter, her face resting on her hands. She was wearing her usual red dress with a pleated skirt and womanly accessories.

"How are you, Laxus?" she questioned cheerfully, watching him as he sat down on one of the barstools.

"Good, I guess," he replied casually. He removed his coat and placed it on an empty barstool next to him.

It was an understatement. He was actually feeling great. When he and Lucy Heartfilia had arrived back in their apartment after their time in Akane beach, his lover had demurely told him how happy he made her.

And she had said in bed that she loved him. How could he not feel elated?

"What about you, Mira?" asked Laxus.

"Oh, just peachy," answered Mirajane, battling her eyelashes at him. "Sorcerer Magazine just reached out to me and asked if I could model for them again."

His eyebrows rose. "That's great. Not that I'm surprised. You should accept the offer, Mira."

"Maybe I will," she said thoughtfully.

"Just go for it, you know," he told her earnestly. "You're still young and good-looking. Surely, you'll be on the front cover again."

"Hang on. Did you just flirt with me?" she joked, pouting her lips.

He stared at her in disbelief, looking appalled. "What? _Hell_, no. You're like a _sister_ to me for crying out loud."

"I'm only kidding. Relax," laughed Mirajane. Then, she remarked, "Say, that's a nice tan you got there. Did you hit the beach or something?"

Laxus smirked. "You could say that."

The white-haired barmaid widened her eyes. "Ah, _honto_? But the Thunder Legion was here yesterday, so…"

"I was with _her_," he told her directly, resting his arms on the bar counter. He might as well tell her.

She smiled knowingly. "Oh, I see! So, when's the wedding?"

He snorted. "What are you talking about? We just started going out."

Mirajane laughed and shook her head. "I'm glad you're telling me this."

"You're one of my closest friends," he told her truthfully. "Even though you're quite annoying sometimes."

"Ouch," she said mockingly. She placed a mug on the bar counter and poured him a drink. "So, where's your _neighbor_?" she asked.

"Sleeping," he replied simply, taking the mug of ale from the barmaid and nodding his thanks.

"In your bed?"

"Don't go overboard, Mira."

"Sorry. Kidding again." She chuckled and clapped her hands. "This is a wonderful development. You and Lucy. My little sister and Natsu."

Surprised, Laxus raised an eyebrow at her. "_Lisanna_ and Natsu?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, I didn't tell you," responded Mirajane. "Lisanna went with Team Natsu on Caracole Island. She told me she was finally going to confess to him after the quest."

"Wow. But Natsu…" he started to say, but then he shut his mouth. He decided not to remind Mirajane that Natsu liked Lucy. But he hoped that the fire mage would find happiness with Lisanna; she was a great girl after all.

"Hmm? You're saying?" the take-over mage prompted.

"Nothing," he mumbled and then took a draught of his drink. "Are you and Elfman okay with Lisanna going out with Natsu?"

"Why not? She's been in love with him since they were children," she told him dreamily, clasping her hands together. "I think Natsu was in love with her back then, but, well… Anyway, perhaps this time, they'll rekindle their puppy love, you know?"

"Puppy love, huh? You and your sappy terms and sappier imagination, Mira."

"Aw, give me a break, Laxus. I know you're just acting cool, but I can tell you're dancing on air right now."

"Heh. Guess you're right."

The S-Class mages smiled fondly at each other. They had bickered and fought back when they were children, but they had always held high regard for each other even until today. And when it came to the welfare of the Fairy Tail guild, they would always do anything to protect its members.

"So, are you going to be taking a job request today?" asked Mirajane, wiping the bar counter with a cloth.

"Yeah, but I'm waiting for the Thunder Legion," said Laxus. He looked around the tables again. "Where are they anyway? They'd always come here early."

"Maybe their taking a vacation, too," suggested Mirajane.

"Sure," he said slowly, "but it's unlike them to not tell me about it first."

She was silent for a moment. Then, "You should really open up to them more, Laxus," she told him lightly. "They're overly protective of you."

"Ah? What's that supposed to mean?" he retorted, lifting his mug to his lips and preparing to take another drink.

The take-over mage heaved a sigh. "Okay, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but they think that Lucy's just leading you on. I overheard them talking yesterday and saying that they're going to have a word with her at some point."

"They're going to _what_?" growled Laxus, slamming his mug on the bar counter.

"Oh, look what you did," muttered Mirajane, sighing again. "And I just wiped this clean." She reached out, cloth in her hand, and then wiped the spilled liquid on the counter.

He stared at her, flabbergasted, and then he glanced at the double doors of the guildhall. It _was_ strange that the Thunder Legion wasn't in the guild waiting for him. Then, he frowned, trying to put the pieces together.

"Listen, Mira, I have to go," he told her suddenly, rising to his feet. "Sorry about the mess."

"That's okay. Don't worry about it. Shall I put this on your tab?" she asked, nodding at the half-empty mug of ale. Her usual smiling face now looked worried.

He nodded. "Yeah, you do that. I'll see you later," he said, grabbing his coat from the barstool next to him. Then, he made his way out of the guild.

"_They're overly protective of you… I overheard them talking yesterday and saying that they're going to have a word with her at some point."_

Mavis, he had a suspicious feeling about the Thunder Legion's whereabouts at the moment.


	20. The Ambush

**Chapter 20: The Ambush**

Lucy Heartfilia was in the middle of making pancakes in her kitchen when she heard a knock on her main door. She frowned slightly, finding it strange. She presumed that Laxus Dreyar had already left the apartment building because he had told her the night before that he planned to leave early to go to the magic guild.

"Just a minute!" she hollered as the knocking continued. She quickly scooped the pancakes one at a time from the cooking pan with a spatula and dropped them onto the plate on the kitchen counter. Then, she switched off the stove and wiped her hands on her apron.

Making her way to the main door, she fluffed her bangs and made sure that her hair wasn't messy. Then, she grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open.

"Hello, _Lucy_."

Her jaw dropped. Standing in the apartment hallway were Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen. They were all crossing their arms over their chests, looking rather stern.

"H-hey, you guys," stammered Lucy, backing away as the Thunder Legion started entering her apartment without waiting for her invitation. "What's up?"

"Apologies for coming up here without prior notice," said Freed without a trace of sincerity. "But we would like to have a word with you."

"You got time, don't you?" asked Bickslow, although it didn't sound like a question in Lucy's opinion.

"Why don't we sit down over there?" suggested Evergreen, pointing at the couch.

"S-sure," said Lucy, feeling confused. "Would you like some pancakes? I just made some—"

"Gratitude, but that isn't necessary," said Freed, walking over to her.

Sensing that the letter magic user wasn't stopping his tracks, Lucy continued to back away from him until she tripped and fell back onto the couch. His hostile expression made her flinch.

The two other members of the Thunder Legion stood beside Freed moments later, glaring down at her.

"What's with you, guys?" cried Lucy, leaning her back against the couch.

"We just want to know what your real intentions with our Laxus," seethed Freed, bending over and looming her face over the celestial mage.

"We hope you're not just some floozy trying to hurt his feelings," said Evergreen coldly.

_I see. I get it now_, she thought to herself. In front of her were her lover's closest friends and, judging by their aggressive disposition, his fierce bodyguards.

But their attempt to intimidate her will not work. She was neither playing around with Laxus, nor was she doing anything shady. On the contrary, she genuinely cared about him—more than she was willing to admit. If they thought differently, then they couldn't be more wrong.

"Look, I get it," she told them, fixing them a stony glare. "You're all trying to protect him. But Laxus and I are _dating_, and I'm _serious_ about my feelings for him." She gripped at her celestial gate keys inside the pocket of her apron. "If you think I'm fooling around, or you simply disapprove of our relationship, then that's _not_ my problem. I'm willing to fight all of you if I have to!"

Freed stepped back from her abruptly, his expression surprised. Evergreen and Bickslow also appeared to be stunned. Then, they all looked at each other in silence.

Lucy pulled out her celestial gate keys. She knew that she was no match for them, but she had to try. She was prepared to summon Loke, her strongest celestial spirit. "_Open_, Gate of the—!"

But she couldn't finish her sentence. The Thunder Legion had stepped forward and hugged her tightly, squeezing the air out of her. She yelped in surprise.

"Oh, Lucy! We're sorry for ever doubting you," cried Evergreen, sniffling.

_Wait, what?_

"Please forgive us," begged Freed. "We have no intentions of fighting you."

"You do smell like pancakes though," remarked Bickslow, sniffing her hair.

"Okay, you three, please let go," gasped Lucy, astonished. "I-I can't breathe."

The Thunder Legion pulled away from her and smiled genuinely, their hostility and aggression dissipating before her eyes.

The fairy magic user was wiping her eyes. "I can't believe our Laxus is going to get married soon," she sniffled dramatically.

"Wait a sec!" retorted Lucy, frowning. "No one's talking about a wedding—!"

"Did you hear that, Freed? There's going to be a _wedding_ soon," the seith magic user sighed.

_Weren't they listening? _"Hey. That's not what I said—!"

"Lucy, you should lose some weight first," the letter magic user remarked solemnly, rubbing his chin.

She gaped at the three of them. "That's—that's just mean!" she spluttered, clenching her fists and waving them in the air.

"Oi, what do you think you three are doing to her?"

Laxus Dreyar's deep voice had suddenly thundered across the room. It was the Thunder Legion's turn to flinch. They quickly spun around and looked at their leader; he was glaring at them from the doorway.

"Laxus, it's fine," said Lucy, her expression softening at the sight of the lightning mage. She walked over to him and gave him a brief hug. Then, she smiled shyly at the rest of her comrades. "They're not doing anything to me."

"R-right," stammered Evergreen, waving her hand and laughing nervously. "We're just paying Lucy a visit, that's all!"

Freed frowned at Evergreen, then he bowed at Laxus. "Forgive us, Laxus," he said gravely. "We didn't mean to cause any inconvenience to your beloved. We are leaving now."

"But what about those pancakes?" asked Bickslow, rubbing the back of his neck.

Laxus glanced at Lucy, his eyebrows rising. "You made pancakes?"

The celestial mage grinned at him. "Yeah, and I plan on making some more. How about we all eat breakfast together? What do you say?"

Her lover grinned back and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds nice." Then, he turned to the Thunder Legion. "Do you three like pancakes?"

"Oh, yes, we love them!"

"Pancakes sound divine."

"Yeah, I like pancakes!"

Smiling, Lucy gestured for them to wait on the couch and then headed over to the kitchen to make some more pancakes.

_Ah, what a troublesome group. They sure take after their leader._


	21. The War with Alvarez

**Chapter 21: The War with Alvarez**

"Hey, guys—we're _back_!"

Laxus Dreyar turned his head as Natsu Dragneel set foot on the Fairy Tail guildhall's entrance along with Happy, Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster, Juvia Lockser, Wendy Marvell, Carla—and Lisanna Strauss. He couldn't help but notice that both the fire and take-over mages were holding hands.

_So, they ended up going steady after all_, he thought, mentally saluting the pinked-haired boy. He was eating breakfast with the Thunder Legion on one of the guildhall's tables. His blonde lover had chosen to sit with Levy McGarden over the bar counter, talking to the script mage, Cana Alberona, and Mirajane Strauss—all four of them red in the face and rather giggly.

Then, he frowned when he suddenly realized Natsu and his team's expressions. They all looked angry.

"Hey, what's up, Natsu?" shouted Wakaba. "How was Caracole Island?"

"Listen up, everyone!" said Erza, her voice stern. "Where is Master Makarov?"

"He's in his office," replied Mirajane. "Is something wrong?"

"I'll go and get him," said Gray and dashed toward the staircase of the guildhall with Juvia tagging along with him.

Laxus finally stood up; the Thunder Legion mirrored him. He nodded at Erza. "What's going on, Erza?" he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

It was Natsu who answered him. "When we were in the island, we met up with a couple of idiots from the Alvarez Empire. They said the peace negotiation's off and told us to prepare for a war in three days. Can someone explain to me what the hell did they mean about a peace negotiation?"

The lightning mage could feel his innards turn. He glanced at Mirajane, her face pale as a ghost. Aside from Makarov, it was only him and her who knew about the peace negotiation that his grandfather had struck with Alvarez to prevent the empire from invading Ishgar.

_Kuso_. _We're__ back to square one!_

Erza glared at Laxus accusingly. "Laxus, did you know anything about this?"

"It's not my grandson's fault," came Makarov Dreyar's voice from the second floor. He was looking at the Fairy Tail guild members from the balustrade. "I had asked him and Mirajane to keep this a secret from all of you."

"Secret? What secret?" prompted Lucy Heartfilia, her face puzzled. "Mira?"

Chair creaks and uncomfortable whispers could be heard in the guild. Everyone was looking at each other in confusion.

The guild master cleared his throat, his face grim. "My children, I'd like to apologize for keeping something so important to you. I thought it was for everyone's best interest. But it's time that I share it with everyone."

"What the hell are you talking about, gramps?" growled Natsu, letting go of Lisanna's hand and jumping onto one of the tables.

Laxus sat back down on his seat and closed his eyes in distress as he listened to his grandfather reveal everything to his comrades: the reason for disbanding the guild, Makarov's disappearance for a year, the peace negotiation with Alvarez—and Lumen Histoire.

"My children, I can't tell you how sorry I am that this all happened," lamented Makarov. "I was only trying to protect all of you."

The guild was silent for a moment. It was Natsu who broke it. "Well, there's no time to go all soft about that now." The fire mage grinned broadly. "If they want to wage war against Fairy Tail, then let's give it to them!"

Laxus looked at the pink-haired boy. They were in a desperate situation now, but like always, Natsu's spirit boosted everyone's morale, including his. He grinned.

_Baka._

Suddenly, he felt someone place a small hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and was now looking into the brown eyes of Lucy Heartfilia, and guilt instantly stabbed him in the chest.

"Forgive me," he said, holding her hand. "I… I couldn't tell you."

But Lucy shook his head, her eyes empathetic. "It's okay. I understand," she told him.

"Master," said Erza. "What's our plan?"

Makarov grunted. "Three days… We should prepare for an attack," he said. He turned to Cana, who was sitting on the bar counter. "Cana, can you check with your cards on the best defense and counter-attack that would increase our chance of winning against Alvarez?"

"Leave it to me," said Cana, winking.

Makarov went on, "I'll be contacting the Magic Council through the communications lacrima. Everyone else, we need to get in touch with the other guilds and their masters. We have to warn them and the citizens about the invasion."

Laxus' fear was confirmed. There was really going to be a war, and everyone's lives will become endangered. Could he protect them all? Could he protect Lucy?

"Hey," came his lover's soft voice. She had seated herself beside him, leaning against his arm. "It's going to be okay. We've been through tough battles before. This is just one of them. Fairy Tail's going to win!"

"You just stay by my side, okay? So, I can protect you," he told her, raising her hand to his lips and kissing her fingers.

She nodded, smiling. "We're going to protect everyone."

* * *

It's been three days, and everyone in Fairy Tail was in their respective positions, getting ready for the upcoming invasion. Any moment now, Alvarez was going to strike.

The citizens of Magnolia had already left the town after learning about the invasion. They had been instructed to get as far from the place as possible.

Laxus and Lucy had returned to their apartment building. They kept peering out the window inside Laxus' unit. The streets were awfully quiet now, and the sun was about to set. They reckoned that the invasion would take place in the evening since nothing had happened all day.

The celestial mage heaved a sigh.

"What is it, Lucy?" he prompted. "Are you nervous about the invasion?"

"Y-yeah," she stammered. "Well, it's not just that. I'm… I'm just thinking about something else."

"Care to tell me?"

She bowed her head. "I know it isn't the best time to talk about this, but it's been bugging me somehow. I can't help it."

"Oi, if it's something that's bothering you, then you should tell me about it right away," he told her firmly. Then, he smirked. "I'm a pretty good neighbor. I'll listen."

She let out a chuckle. Then, turning serious again, she leaned against him. "It's about those… _times_ in Akane beach."

Flustered, he cleared his throat. "Ah? What about them?"

She hesitated for a moment, and then looked at him straight in the eye, blushing furiously. "I wasn't… exactly _safe_ at that time. And we… we didn't use any protection."

"Oh," he uttered huskily, recalling how he had drove into her so recklessly, passionately, without thinking. "Yeah... Yeah, we didn't." He could feel the heat rising to his face; he knew where this conversation was heading.

"If… If ever I'm…" she began, her hands balling into fists.

Watching Lucy's tears forming in her eyes, Laxus found himself saying, "It's going to be okay."

She sniffed. "How is it going to be okay?" she asked him, wiping her eyes.

"Well," he said slowly, rubbing his chin, "Mira and the Thunder Legion had already teased us about planning a wedding, yeah?"

She gaped at him. "Are you kidding me?" She punched him playfully on the shoulder. "Don't… Don't joke about something like that," she told him weakly.

"What's so bad about it?" he asked her, suddenly realizing that marrying this girl wouldn't be anything but glorious. It was way too early to jump into that, though, but he knew he loved her. And maybe she could learn to truly love him, too, in case she was still uncertain.

Lucy didn't answer him and continued to stare out the window. Sighing, Laxus cupped her chin with his fingers and turned her face to his direction. He gazed into her eyes and then bent over to give her a soft kiss.

"If you decide to marry me, then we could move in together," he murmured as he pulled back from her. "My apartment. Yours. Some place else. Anywhere you want."

Blushing, she looked up at him. "I thought you wanted to remain neighbors with me."

"That was before I fell in love with you. Now…" He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Now, I want us to share a home together."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that because we're in a dangerous situation right now?" she choked.

He buried his face in her neck. "How can you say that, Lucy? I love you. I've told you."

He could sense her weeping now. Then, he felt her pulling away from his embrace. She stared into his eyes.

"I… I do… love you… too… Laxus," she said in between sobs. She hiccupped and then hugged him tightly.

"You do?" he whispered, his heart racing.

Days ago, she had said that she loved him, yet he had thought that maybe she just got carried away in their lovemaking when they were in Akane.

But now she said she loved him. Again. For the second time. Nothing else seemed to matter to him now.

"Yes, I do," she replied in a steadier voice. "I do love you. When the war is over, I want to be with you forever."

The sound of firing cannons could now be heard from a distance. That only meant one thing: Alvarez had begun their invasion.

Laxus drew back and cupped his lover's face with his hands, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. He smiled slightly at her. "We'll win this war, Lucy. And after that—" he gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. "You're going to be sorry you're ever neighbors with me because I'm going to keep coming to your bed and making love with you."

She finally smiled at him. "You're wrong. I'm not going to be sorry at all."

"Hey, is everyone ready and taking positions?" came the voice of Fairy Tail's telepathy magic user, Warren Rocko. "Laxus—you're up! We need a massive amount of lighting to smash their airships."

"Got it," growled Laxus. Then, he turned to Lucy. "Are you ready, neighbor?"

She nodded at him, her eyes blazing. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He grinned. "Let's go win this war. Together."

* * *

**_*THE END*_**

* * *

**A/N: As much as it pains me to end this story, I'm going to have to stop right here. XD**

**I really enjoyed writing Just Neighbors. And I'm kind of surprised at how the events turned out—I honestly didn't have a plot planned out. Lol.**

**I'm really thankful for the readers and those who have left reviews (and tips on how to better my writing – thank you, thank you! Hopefully, I can apply them in my next fanfic). **

**I'll be writing more LaLu fanfics soon.**

**Thank you!**

**xoxo,**

**madaquarius**


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